Dad to continue battle against term-time holiday fines at High Court
A dad who successfully contested a fine for taking his daughter out of school for a trip to Florida is preparing to take his battle for the rights of parents to take their children on term-time holidays to the High Court.
Jonathan Platt, who is crowdfunding for £25,000 to cover his expected legal costs, raised more than £1,000 hours of launching his appeal.
Platt says he will use the money to speak up on behalf of other parents at the High Court, which has been asked to give clarification on the law.
Platt was taken to court by Isle of Wight council for refusing to pay a £120 fine imposed when he took his daughter out of school for seven days to visit Disneyland, but he won his case after telling magistrates that the Education Act didn’t put restrictions on holidays during term time for pupils who attended school regularly.
The council is now seeking clarification from the High Court on what constitutes ‘regular attendance’ at school. As Platt is a ‘person of interest’ in the case, he has a right to attend.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026