Kat Rogers said in term one her son, Finn Rogers, came home exhausted, which is why they all agreed sport or music lessons could wait.

Like all the mums, Mrs Rogers said she felt slightly nervous on the first day as Finn was a bit shy.

“He sure showed me. He made lots of new friends and never once complained. Which made it a lot easier," she said.

The five women are part of a mothers group, established through Orange Health Service.

Once part of a group of 25 mums who had children born between September and October in 2012, the five have formed a close friendship whose catch-ups have been just as often nights out together as park dates with their children.

Ashlee Maguire worked full-time during her son, Will Hepworth’s, first year and said the best thing about heading back in 2019 was knowing what the school expected from her.

She said with 12 months’ experience, she felt more confident in co-ordinating time and ensuring all the essential school requirements were ticked off each day.

Lucy Johnson said another Catherine McAuley mother created a Facebook group, which they relied on to remember when gold coin donations were required, homework was due, school jumpers had been left behind or special dress-up days, and suggested first-time kindergarten parents do the same.

Erin Quarmby said she wasn’t prepared for her six-year-old son, Jake, to have so much homework.

“Expect it, it’s massive,” Mrs Quarmby said.

The young mum said a big change for her was being much less involved in her child’s every action.

“At day care, you’re told how many times your child went to the toilet, what they ate, you know everything there is to know,” she said.

Mrs Quarmby said she found it difficult when after the first week, it was expected she leave Jake at the gate rather than enter the classroom.

“I’d never let him walk anywhere by himself – it’s a big adjustment,” she said.

While five children at the same school had been a coincidence, the mums agreed peer support had been essential for a happy first year.