Preps at St Therese's Primary School, Golden Square Primary School, Lightning Reef Primary School and Spring Gully Primary School started school yesterday. 

Prep classes at Bendigo Primary School, Kennington Primary School, White Hills Primary School and St Kilian's Primary School start today. 

St Therese's Primary School principal Matthew Mann said he looked forward to the start of the school year. 

Mr Mann said while he started back at work last week, the school grounds were not the same without the students. 

"It's great to have the students back," he said.  

"The atmosphere is different when the students are (at school).

"Although I get a lot more work done (when they are not at school)." 

Mr Mann said 78 preps had enrolled at the school this year - the largest number in the history of the school. 

He said the school's capacity was full, with 10 preps on the waiting list. 

Golden Square Primary School principal Barry Goode said about 42 preps started school yesterday - a figure slightly lower than normal. 

"We find we have an on year and then an off year," he said. 

"This is because families tend to have children every two years.

"The prep number is pretty good for an off year (this year), considering we would usually get around 50 to 53 preps."

Mr Goode said the prep students had been partnered with a grade 5 or 6 buddy, who would provide them with support in and around the school grounds. 

More than 890,600 students will attend a Victorian school this year, with 562,900 of those pupils starting at a State government school. 

The preps are not the only ones starting school this week, with about 2500 graduate teachers working in classrooms around the state since Monday.