Nick isn't at church (5)

I believe the answer is:

notch

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'nick' is the definition.
(both can mean a small cut or impression)

'isn't at church' is the wordplay.
'isn't at' becomes 'not' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'church' becomes 'ch' (abbreviation on maps etc).
'not'+'ch'='NOTCH'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for notch that I've seen before include "Nick made in something as a record" , "Indentation, nick" , "Incision on an edge" , "Mark indented in wood etc" , "V-shaped incision" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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