A PRESTON pupil is celebrating after chalking-up six years without taking a single day off school.

Alan Foster, 16, who attends Sherburn School, in Blackpool Road, Preston, has never skipped a day at school since his final year in primary education.

Council education chiefs were so impressed by Alan's attendance record they rewarded him a prize -- a private viewing of the hit movie 'Tomb Raider' at UCI Cinema on the Riversway Docks. Cinema fan Alan, from the Brookfield area of Preston, will be taking 15 friends to the pictures on Sunday, July 8.

He said: "I'm looking forward to the film. I enjoy school so it wasn't hard to go for six years without missing a day. I like school, and my favourite subjects are music and PE." Adam Dalal, education welfare officer for Lancashire County Council, hopes rewards like this will convince other children to work harder at school. He said: "The idea is to raise the profile of attendance, so that young people can have something to aim for. Usually it is the pupils who aren't well behaved that gets the coverage.

"It's not bad going! He seems quite non-plussed about it but I think he is actually quite chuffed."

Alan, who finishes school for good tomorrow (Friday), has also been given a Service to the School Award by his class teachers -- an accolade given every year to pupils who go out of their way to help the school. He is also house captain at his school and helps out with school clubs.

Graham Torbett, deputy headteacher, said: "This is an absolutely marvellous achievement, and it's a brilliant advert for Alan for future employers. He is a very dedicated person, giving his time to school and doing whatever he can.

"It's a credit to his parents too, they've done marvellously, helping him get to school every day for the last six years."