"Charlie has an excellent attendance record and has won awards for it. He loves school and sometimes goes in when he really isn't well enough.
"I rang the school and told them why he wouldn't be coming in. Everything seemed OK."
But later that day two attendance officers visited.
Mr Bowden said "They said the death of a pet is not a good enough reason for missing school. They asked Charlie to put his uniform on and go in for the afternoon.
"He started getting upset so I told them to leave."
Charlie returned to the academy, which opened last month in the former Anfield comprehensive buildings, yesterday.
His father added "If I hadn't told the truth and said Charlie was ill, they would never have come around. But losing a pet is a really traumatic experience for a child."
Academy principal Kay Askew, said "We apologise for any misunderstanding caused by the visit.
"Its purpose was to offer Charlie and his family support for his return to school.
"However, we take the issue of absenteeism very seriously.
"The council has assigned a full-time welfare officer and there is a proactive city-wide initiative to reduce low attendance rates by visiting children on the first day they are absent."
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