PRIMARY school pupils were presented with certificates yesterday after notching up a near-perfect attendance record last term.

Of the 203 pupils at St Godric's RC Primary School, in Durham City, 61 turned up for school every day during the autumn term and another 33 missed just one session.

Yesterday, they were rewarded at a special assembly to mark their achievement.

Headteacher Christine Coxon said: "Children can miss so much if they are absent - even if it is juts for one session.

"To have nearly half the school with near perfect attendance is certainly something to celebrate and we hope that at the end of the spring term even more children will have made every day count and achieved a 100 per cent attendance record."