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Jon Platt, from the Isle of White, won a High Court battle after he refused to pay a fine for taking his daughter off school despite not having permission for seven days of absence. But Isle

of Wight Council - the education authority that Mr Platt took to court - has now won an appeal at the Supreme Court which has overturned the High Court decision.  Mr Platt launched the

legal battle to challenge his own £120 fine after taking his daughter out of school for a week-long trip to Disney world in Florida, US, in April 2015.  Mr Platt said that the consequences

of the Supreme Court ruling “can only be described as shocking”. He said: “To attend [school] regularly no longer means to attend frequently. It now means to attend on all the days and on

all the times that the school requires it.  “Every  unauthorised absence, even being a minute late to school, is now a criminal offence.”   Patrick Campbell, a solicitor at Simpson Millar,

said: “This will be seen by many as a severe blow in the fight for parents' rights to take their children on holiday during term time; a fight which has been championed by Jon Platt. 

"The highest court in the UK has ruled that regularly, means in accordance with the rules prescribed by the schools.  “Among many of the reasons given, the court ruled that there were

sound policy reasons for arguing the impact an absence could have for a child and other pupils."  DAD SPEAKS ABOUT TERM-TIME HOLIDAY HIGH COURT RULING HOW MUCH WILL YOU BE FIND IF YOU

TAKEN YOUR CHILDREN ON HOLIDAY DURING TERM-TIME?  After the ruling this morning, Mr Campbell said: "For many parents, this will mean possible prosecution if they book a holiday during

term time.  “As a minimum, they will face a £60 fixed penalty notice per child who misses school should they refuse to pay this will increase to £120 and ultimately they are likely to find

themselves in the Magistrates Court.”  Local councils can fine parents £60 for taking their child on holiday during term-time if there are not “exceptional circumstances” such as a family

funeral. Under the rules introduced in 2013, the fine will increase to £120 if the fine is not paid within 21 days.  After 28 days, the parent can be taken to court where they may face a

£2,500 fine if they are convicted.  No parent has ever been jailed but in theory they can face a three-month prison sentence.  This term-time holiday rule only applies to families in

England, not Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.    Ben Collingwood, senior associate in the educations and schools team at Barlow Robbins Solicitors, said: “The Isle of Wight Council

sought to argue that the words ‘regularly attends’ should be interpreted as ‘attends each and every day that the school requires it’.   “Today’s judgment means that parents who remove their

child from school, even for half a day, without permission of the Head Teacher, could be committing a criminal offence which could carry a custodial sentence. “This clearly acts as a warning

to parents and conveys the gravity with which the court views a child’s attendance at school.   “I would expect that this will make parents think twice before taking their children out of

school without approval or in the absence of an emergency.”