As a kid, one of the best things about school was not going. Whether that was because of a snow day, a bus breakdown, or just a bit of good old-fashioned skiving.
When I was three hours late for school, I used to tell my teacher I'd been to see 'Dr Wood' - which actually meant I'd intentionally missed the bus, preferring to hike in through five miles of woodland.
But none of this for Guy Crossland, who has just polished off 12 years of school with a 100 percent attendance record.
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The 16-year-old, from Henlow, Bedfordshire, did not miss a day at his state primary and secondary schools - even when lockdowns must have made it temptingly easy to skip lessons.
The young lad attended every class for seven years at Our Lady School in Hitchin, Hertsfordshire, and he followed that up with five unbroken years at secondary school - one at John Henry Newman School in Stevenage, and four at Hitchin Boys' School.
Of course, the longer a streak goes on, the more eager we are to keep it going, and Guy had to battle through on numerous occasions to keep his record intact.
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"I've just been really determined to keep going, even in times when I've been under the weather," he said.
"It's been difficult, but it's been extremely worthwhile and I'm just really grateful [I did it]."
His mum, Julia, played a role in enabling him to set the 'unique' record, ensuring that all of his medical appointments were made outside of school hours.
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She said: "He is a real trooper. I am very proud of him. Some mornings it was touch and go, but he always got there.
"It wasn’t always easy. The world of schooling changed radically during the pandemic. Guy was always up and ready during lockdown for his online lessons."
Guy is now waiting for his GCSE results, and is going on to do A Levels in French, Spanish, Maths and either History or Economics.
But if history tells us anything, the smart money is on him turning up for every single class.
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"I'm determined not to miss a day in sixth form," Guy said.
What a guy.
Topics: Education
Jake Massey