POLL: Should parents be punished for taking children on holiday during term time?

The submission was made as Isle of Wight Council, backed by the Education Secretary, launched a landmark legal battle over term-time holidays in the highest court in the land.

In a case being watched by schools and parents all over the country, the local education authority is seeking to overturn a High Court ruling in May last year clearing a father, Jon Platt, aged 46, of failing to ensure his daughter's regular attendance at school.

Mr Platt won a decision blocking a £120 fine for flying off with his child on a seven-day trip to Disney World in Florida, in April 2015.

The High Court, sitting in London, declared Mr Platt was not acting unlawfully because his daughter had a good attendance record during the rest of the year of over 90 per cent.

The decision caused a surge in term-time bookings all over England.

Controversy was first triggered when the Government ordered a crackdown on school absences in 2013.

New guidelines were introduced for English schools which only allow head teachers to permit pupils to miss classes in 'exceptional circumstances'.

The Department for Education has told parents children missing just a few days in the classroom can damage GCSE results.

Families complain trips in official holiday periods are up to four-times more expensive, and local councils have reported the number of breaks in term time is increasing.

In a day-long hearing at the Supreme Court, Isle of Wight Council and the Education Secretary are asking five justices to rule the High Court got the law wrong.

The key legal issue is whether or not Mr Platt committed an offence by failing to ensure his daughter 'attended school regularly' as required by section 444(1) of the 1996 Education Act.

Lord Neuberger said the court would give its judgment 'in due course' at a later date.