THE new school year is now well under way and across South Lakeland, Furness, Eden and north Lancashire pupils are getting used to their new environment and making friends with classmates.

We asked local primary schools to send us photographs of their new and reception classes and we publish the first six pictures this week.

On this page you can see new pupils who have just started at Beetham CE Primary, Heron Hill Primary School at Kendal, St Patrick's CE School at Endmoor, Goodly Dale Primary School at Windermere and Ambleside CE Primary School.

We shall be publishing more of the new class photographs you have sent us in the next few weeks.,

If you would like to send us a picture of your new nursery or reception class, please send a jpeg image to andrew.thomas@kendal.newsquest.co.uk. Please make it clear which school and class is pictured. Pictures should be sent as jpeg attachments and should be at least 3MB in size.