Father loses court battle over term-time holidays

Schools are in the headlines for their opposition to parents taking their children on holiday during term time too. The ban has been upheld by the country's highest court.

Judges at the Supreme Court made a ruling today after a father refused to pay a fine for taking his daughter out of school without the headteacher's permission. Kevin Ashford reports

A father who refused to pay a school fine for taking his daughter on holiday during term time has lost his legal battle at the Supreme Court.

Jon Platt, who took his daughter to Disney World in 2015, was fined £120 by her school on the Isle of Wight.

Mr Platt challenged the penalty, arguing that the seven year-old had an attendance rate of more than 90%.

Today five Supreme Court justices ruled in favour of Isle of Wight Council, which took Mr Platt to court in a bid to overturn a High Court judgement.

Delivering the court's decision in a brief statement, Lady Hale said: "Unauthorised absences have a disruptive effect, not only on the education on the individual child, but also on the work of other pupils, and their teachers."

The UK's highest court will give its decision today in a legal battle between Isle of Wight education chiefs and a man who took his daughter on holiday during term-time.

Jon Platt refused to pay a £120 fine. Local magistrates and the High Court found there was no case to answer, but the Island's council took the case to the Supreme Court.

The UK's highest court will give its decision today in a legal battle between Isle of Wight education chiefs and a man who took his daughter on holiday during term-time.

Jon Platt refused to pay a £120 fine. Local magistrates and the High Court found there was no case to answer, but the Island's council took the case to the Supreme Court.

It's a decision that will affect schools and parents right across our region.

The wrangle involves a father from the Isle of Wight and his local authority over his decision to take his daughter on holiday during school time.

Five judges at the Supreme Court have heard evidence from both sides. It follows a decision last year by the High Court which ruled in favour of Jon Platt - the dad at the centre of this row. Emma Wilkinson reports.

The legal battle over term-time holidays has reached the Supreme Court today.

An Isle of Wight father last year won a landmark High Court ruling blocking a £120 fine for taking his daughter to Florida during term time without a school's permission.

Two senior judges declared that Jon Platt was not acting unlawfully because his daughter had a good attendance record during the rest of the year.

The decision caused a surge in term-time bookings all over England.
Controversy was first triggered when the Government ordered a crackdown on school absences in 2013.

Families complain that vacations in official holiday periods are up to four times more expensive, and local councils have reported the number of breaks-in during term time is increasing.