Ban on parents taking their children out of school to go on holiday upheld

The country's highest court has upheld a ban on parents taking their children out of school to go on holiday.

Schools can request the Council to issue a fixed penalty notice for unauthorised absence, which costs £60 per child per parent if paid within 21 days.

Since September 2013, parents have had no entitlement to take their children on holiday during term-time - when prices are much cheaper.

The law makes it clear that head teachers may not grant holidays or other absences during term time unless there are "exceptional circumstances".

Five Supreme Court justices unanimously upheld a fine imposed by Isle of Wight Council on Jon Platt who took his daughter to Disney World for five days during term time.

Delivering the judgement Lady Hale, deputy president of the supreme court, said: "Unauthorised absences have a disruptive effect, not only on the education of the individual child but also on the work of other pupils.

"If one pupil can be taken out whenever it suits the parent, then so can others. Any educational system expects people to keep to the rules. Not to do so is unfair to those parents who do keep to the rules, whatever the costs or inconvenience."

The judgement clarified what 'regular' attendance means after Mr Platt said that his daughter had good overall attendance of more than 92 per cent.

The panel of judges said 'regularly' means "in accordance with the rules prescribed by the school".

Speaking after the ruling, Mr Platt said: "To attend regularly no longer means to attend frequently, it now means to attend on all the days and at all the times that the school requires it.

"Every unauthorised absence, including being a minute late to school, is now a criminal offence."