SOME children will pull every excuse in the book to get a day off school.
But not 10-year-old Jake Knapper, who has not missed a single day in the last five years.
Proud mother Dawn puts it down to a clean bill of health, and says his good attendance record will help him to get a job.
The year five student was rewarded for his 100 per cent attendance at a special end-of-term assembly at Hafod-y-Wern Primary School, Wrexham.
Dawn, 42, of Caia Park, said: “Luckily the only time Jake is ever ill is in the school holidays, so he has got away with having to take a day off.”
And it seems good attendance runs in the family.
Sister Sophie, eight, has taken just one day off since she has been a pupil at the same school.
Dawn said: “Sophie had five teeth out at the hospital so we had no choice but to keep her off school.
“I asked her if she needed another day off to recover but she was adamant she was going in.
“I made her a flask of soup for her lunch and she was more excited about going to school and showing off the flask to her friends.”
And mum Dawn has not missed a single day of work since she began at Sports Direct on Plas Coch Retail Park seven years ago.
Dawn added: “I’m a single mother who works very hard for everything they’ve got, and I think they appreciate that.
“They understand that if they don’t go to school, then I must stay home and look after them.
“I tell them if I’ve got to go to work, then they have got to go to school.”
Both children keep fit and healthy by playing tennis at Wrexham Tennis Centre.
Jake is also a member of Wrexham Rugby Club, and will return in September to play for the Under 11 team.
He has one more year of study at Hafod-y-Wern before he transfers to Ysgol Rhosnesni.