Term-time holiday ruling set to be challenged in Supreme Court
Isle of Wight Council has been told it can apply to the Supreme Court for permission to appeal against a High Court ruling in favour of a dad who was fined for taking his daughter out of school for a family holiday.
Senior judge Lord Justice Lloyd Jones said the case raised ‘a point of law of general public importance’.
As the High Court itself has refused permission for the appeal, the council will have to make an application direct to the Supreme Court, which will then decide if it wants to hear the case.
Jon Platt was originally fined £120 by Isle of Wight council for taking his daughter to Florida, but magistrates overturned the fine because she attended school regularly during the rest of the school year.
The local authority took the case to the High Court for clarification, and Platt won, prompting the government to announce that it would consider making alterations to the law over absences.
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
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