PARENTS are to start being fined for taking their children out of classes at an Oswaldtwistle school during term time.

West End Primary is to begin to enforce its policy on issuing penalty notices to parents after a Supreme Court ruling last month upheld a ban on children missing classes to go on holiday.

Jon Platt had challenged a penalty notice issued by the Isle of Wight Council because his daughter had a 92 per cent attendance rate.

In a letter to parents West End headteacher James McBride said during a period of uncertainty due to the case he had been instructed by the governing body to consider the reasons for leave along with their attendance record.

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If children had attendance of 95 per cent or more their absence would be recorded as unauthorised but a penalty was not issued.

Following a governors meeting last week Mr McBride said he will now be enforcing the Aspen Lane school’s policy which states applications to take children out for a family holiday will not normally be authorised.

He said the Supreme Court ruling had helped clarify the position.

He said: “There was a great deal of uncertainty over what constituted regular attendance as a result of the Platt case.

“While there was that uncertainty the governors instructed me to consider the attendance when making any decision.

“But since the Platt case concluded the governors have instructed me to say just having good attendance in addition to that would not permit me to authorise family holidays.”

He said the county’s guideline is to issue penalty charges for five days unauthorised absence or more.

“The ruling was helpful in the sense it puts the decision back into schools.

“It means parents know what our school policy is and it gives them clarity.

“It might not be what they want to hear. I know a number of parents do not agree with this policy.”

He said he is reviewing prior agreements and will be contacting parents directly if planned leave might result in a penalty notice being issued.

Sean Crosier, headteacher at Huncoat Primary School, said he had continued to issue fixed penalty notices as necessary.

Gary McNab, network manager at St Mary Magdalen’s in Accrington, said: “We have always followed county council guidelines.”

The council follows guidance issued by the Department for Education states that the best place for children to be during term time is in school.