A TEENAGER studying for her GCSEs received a certificate for not missing a single day of school in the five years since she started at St Joseph's Catholic College.

As Camille Valere approached the end of Year 11, her parents Clive and Fabi noticed that she had 100 per cent attendance for the whole year - and the year before that, and the year before that...

This unbroken streak continued even further than anyone initially realised - all the way back to Year 4 in her primary school days.

Camille said: "Catching up on work after I missed a day could have set me back and I was determined to avoid that happening again. I really like my studies, school has always been a big thing for me, I like the socialising and the atmosphere, people take all the facilities available there for granted and the teachers have been amazing.

"I would feel guilty if I missed just one day so, even if I have a cold, I feel like I have to come in and go to lessons, nothing's too serious to stop me.

"When I told my friends about this, they looked at me in disbelief, they think I must be really healthy or lucky."

Clive Valere said: "We are quite proud, we didn't expect it, it's amazing and really impressive, she's really committed to her studies and enjoys school."

Fabi Valere said: "She's very self-motivated and very competitive, and she's had lovely teachers throughout her education, plus she likes a challenge and loves school, so this certificate is a real credit to her."

Camille received recognition for her efforts during an end-of-year assembly. The certificate currently sits proudly on her desk and will be hung up on the wall once her GCSEs are done and dusted.

Camille hopes to continue into sixth form: at St Joseph's. She added: "It is a nice achievement, it feels special, and this mentality has stuck with me now so I'm not giving up."