Supreme Court: Parents CAN'T take kids on term-time holiday without risking a fine

Justices ruled against Jon Platt, a father who'd refused to pay a fine for taking his daughter out of school...
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'Supreme Court: Parents CAN'T take kids on term-time holiday without risking a fine'
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  • VT82
    VT82 Forumite Posts: 1,077
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    The law on this has been screwed up ever since the figure of '£60' appeared out of thin air. This turned what was a moral decision for parents into a straightforward financial one, and was such a ball drop by the government who are so obsessed with putting figures on things. I'm just surprised they didn't link the fine to inflation for a change!!!
  • Guest101
    Guest101 Posts: 15,764 Forumite
    Could be a vote winner for the opposition....


    (it's a shame MSE didn't link the actual case notes)
  • Browntoa
    Browntoa Forumite, Ambassador Posts: 49,237
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    The guy didn't go himself any favours in interviews , claim over as slightly arrogant in my eyes

    At least the laws clear now on both sides

    As someone who likes quieter flights and hotels I deliberately holiday during term time rather than late June to early September.
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  • gabriel1980
    gabriel1980 Forumite Posts: 317
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    I wouldn't have paid the fine either, I honestly don't think the school should have the right to issue a fine.
  • thorsoak
    thorsoak Forumite Posts: 7,166
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    So, what about the youth workers and school holiday club workers who are contracted to work through school holidays - when are they supposed to take their children on holiday?
  • jamesd
    jamesd Forumite Posts: 25,833
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    edited 6 April 2017 at 10:09AM
    Best to solve this by widely varying the school holidays between regions so that there is no financial incentive in the holiday prices because there is no significant crowding.

    Pity also the poor parents who are subject to criminal prosecution if their child is absent from school on a day that is a mandatory religious holiday for the religion of the child and not one of the parents.
  • MABLE
    MABLE Forumite Posts: 4,015
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    Too right. Can you imagine what would happen if the Supreme court had upheld the original decision. Holidays companies would capitalise on this and as a result they would increase their holidays.
  • LKRDN_Morgan
    LKRDN_Morgan Forumite Posts: 308 Forumite
    Oh well. Still cheaper to take the fine than pay for the same holiday outside of term time.
  • worldtraveller
    worldtraveller Forumite Posts: 14,012
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    edited 6 April 2017 at 10:14AM
    Clearly it was the correct ruling.
    There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, There is a rapture on the lonely shore, There is society, where none intrudes, By the deep sea, and music in its roar: I love not man the less, but Nature more...
  • harz99
    harz99 Forumite Posts: 3,503
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    IMHO you have to be very foolish not to just pay the £60 per child/occasion and just get on with your life if you wish to take the child out of school during term time.


    As others have said, it's very little compared to the additional cost during school holiday periods.


    As long as the head-teachers retain and use flexibility regarding the very, very, few people whose jobs don't allow them to organise and take family holidays within the school holiday periods I don't see the problem, and the matter is certainly not worth dragging through the courts any further.
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