AN academy's top attending students have earned some spending power for the summer holidays.
Thirty-six students from Trinity Academy, in Thorne, were the lucky ones to have their names pulled out of a draw to win £50 each in vouchers, with a total of £2,500 worth up for grabs.
All students with 95 per cent attendance or better were entered into tutor group draws, with the number of entries they received increasing according to higher attendance.
In addition, anyone with 100 per cent attendance went into a separate year group draw for a chance to win a further £50 each.
Teagan Emmerson, 12, of Moorends, who turned up for school every day this year, said: "There were a few days when I didn't want to come but I came anyway. It's important so you can learn more and you get to see your friends."
Ryan Pentland, 14, of Thorne, has not missed a day since starting at Trinity Academy three years ago. "When I've had a cold or anything I'm not allowed to stay off. I try as hard as I can to just get on with it," he said.
Oliver Page, 14, who has also had 100 per cent attendance since Year 7, explained: "It takes effort, but you know it will be worth it in the end."
Erick Grant Daleon, 13, of Thorne, added: "It’s important for learning, and I honestly like to come to school every day."
Assistant vice principal Andy Thurlow said: "We've run the prize draw for a number of years to act as both incentive and reward to students and to highlight the importance of coming to school. We know there are times when illness prevents it, but we are building a culture where attendance is the norm and you only miss school in extreme circumstances."
The prize draw is just one of the initiatives implemented at the academy to continually improve attendance, including having specialist staff, intervention with students of concern and targeting families with a record of poorer attendance.