A STUDENT from Settle High School was presented with a special award after completing 12 years of school without a single day missed.

Wayne Dodding, 16, of Low Bentham, is currently in Year 11 and will take his GCSEs this summer.

There has been no skiving off for Wayne, who has achieved a 100 per cent attendance rate at the four schools he has attended - Brooklands School in Skipton, Low Bentham Primary School, Ingleton Middle School and Settle High School. That is a total of 2,200 consecutive days of study.

It is believed Wayne is the first student to have passed through Settle High School who has achieved such a feat.

Deputy head Sue Walton said: "Whilst adding up the attendance totals for the Year 11 students for their record of achievement, we realised that Wayne had managed a 100 per cent record in his time at the school.

"His form tutor believed that he had also done this at his previous two schools and after consulting our records we were amazed to find this was true. It is a fantastic achievement and a great credit to Wayne."

Wayne's favourite subject at school has been food technology, although he has enjoyed all his studies. In his spare time he plays football for a Bentham team and also keeps and shows finches, having been placed first in several local shows.

After completing his GCSEs he will be taking a catering course at Lancaster and Morecambe College and hopes eventually to become a chef.

Wayne was awarded with a specially engraved plaque at the Year 11 leavers' presentation on Wednesday, and his unique feat will be recorded in a newly established school archive.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.