To mark the occasion, we found these nine Shields Gazette views of children starting a new term in the classroom.
They were pictured having dinner at Chuter Ede, taking a road safety course at Harton Comprehensive and making snowballs at Hadrian Juniors.
Have a look.
1. The first dinner
Pupils waiting for their first dinner in the dining room at Chuter Ede County Secondary School, which opened January 1968. | JPIMedia Resell Photo: Shields Gazette
2. All new in 1968
Lessons at Chuter Ede County Secondary School on the day it opened at Whiteleas. | sg
3. A reward for excellent work
Getting the year off to a start with a speech day. Mrs R Hunter, presented the head girl of Westoe County Secondary Girls' School, Denise Maughan, with her award at speech day in 1970. | SG Photo: Shields Gazette
4. Dinner time in South Shields
Cathleen Devlin, centre, helps dish up the day's menu to Grammar-Technical School for Boys, pupils. Headmaster W E Egner joined the queue to sample the meals in 1973. | sg