How can we make my daughter more comfortable starting school?

It's not really a question as such, but I would appreciate some advice, particularly if you have had the same experience.

My 5 year old daughter (well, step-daughter but I am her daddy if you catch my drift!) starts school this wednesday and, for the...

first time, this morning she started to say that she didn't want to go, didn't want to be gone from me and her mummy for a long while and that she was nervous about starting. What can myself, and my fiancee, do to make her feel more comfortable with the idea of going school?

Also, she is very shy around new people, especially those her own age, so do you think she will be ok when she starts to meet new kids at the school?

Any advice appreciated

Hype her up! Tell her all of the wonderful things she's going to get to do. She'll get to play, but she'll ALSO get to learn new and exciting things! This makes her an OFFICIAL BIG-GIRL! Tell her how she'll make friends easily because ALL of the other kids in her class are starting their first day's too, and they're JUST as nervous.
Make it sound exciting. Tell her that she'll be safe, that you and her mother will be safe (that's a common fear of children going off to school- they don't want anything to happen to Mommy or Daddy while they're away). And offer her maybe a treat after her first day- go out for ice cream or to a fun restaurant. And tell her good luck from all of us.

tell her shes going to meet new people who will be just like her ... there all going to be very shy aswell. but once she is okay with it shes going to have a wonderfull time
and meet people shes going to know for the rest of her life :D

Thanks!

Thanks for the help guys - really helpful!