Lancashire Evening Post, 18/10/1995

Children told: Come to school and win a burger

PUPILS LURED BY BIG MACS!

Children who turn up for school lessons are being rewarded with vouchers for McDonald's burgers.

Youngsters at Albany High in Chorley will qualify for a free burger every two weeks - if their class has a 100 per cent attendance record.

The school is one of the latest to join the Improving School Attendance project organised by Lancashire County Council.

Last month, Lancaster's Skerton High School announced it was offering incentives such as premiership soccer tickets and personal stereos for youngsters who attend lessons.

Albany's headteacher, Marian Quirke, said: "Albany is a school which already has good attendance but I want to improve it still further.

There's a whole range of different things to entice children into school. When children have achieved 100 per cent they get a certificate of achievement.

But it also reaps benefits if whole forms are achieving 100 per cent attendance week by week.

We have started to approach local firms to see if they are interested in offering rewards.

McDonald's in Chorley has already agreed to join our scheme. If a form has full attendance for two weeks on the run, then members are rewarded with a complimentary voucher for a burger."

Chorley McDonald's manager Steven Seanor said; "It's a great idea to encourage school attendance. We will be giving out achievement certificates and meal vouchers to forms.

Anything McDonald's can do to encourage full attendance at school is a good thing.

And we back Albany High School 100 per cent in their scheme."

Miss Quirke added: "We also have a voucher scheme for our own school tuck shop as well.

On an individual basis, if pupils attend every day for half a term they receive tuck shop vouchers. And if whole forms - that is every single member of that class - attend for a week then vouchers will be given out as well.

We have over 700 pupils here. Already this has led to friends warning each other that they must turn up for school."

Project co-ordinator Beverley Lewis said the Improving School Attendance Project was launched in Lancashire two years ago.

She said: "The idea is to encourage full attendance in school. It's a matter of positive, pro-active attitudes.