Isle of Wight Conservative MP, Andrew Turner’s office shares his latest announcement. Ed
The Island’s MP has asked John Metcalfe, the Isle of Wight Council’s Chief Executive, for clarity on who made the decision to take Mr Jon Platt to the High Court, and for the full cost of the Court case lost today, including a calculation of officer time spent.
He is also asking why the Island’s cash-strapped Council decided that of all the local authorities in England, they must be the one to squander scarce resources ‘seeking clarity on the matter’, as stated by Council Leader, Jonathan Bacon today.
Mr Turner also congratulated Mr Platt, describing him as a ‘David taking on Goliath’.
Mr Turner said :
“I have e-mailed the Chief Executive asking who made the decision to take Mr Platt to the High Court. The Isle of Wight was the first Council in the country to take such action, despite pleading poverty, and I have also asked for the full cost, including a calculation of officer time spent on the case, which the Council sometimes seem to consider costs nothing.
“There was already clarity that it was not for the Council to decide whether a child could be taken out of school. Back in March 2014, I asked the then Education Secretary, The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, what constituted ‘exceptional circumstances’ to allow taking a child on holiday in term time. In responding he was very clear that it was up to individual head teachers to take that decision, taking into account all the circumstances.
“I asked the question then because I had come across examples on the Island where schools had been misled, and told that the Government had banned all term-time holidays, which was untrue. There is no definition of ‘regular attendance’ in the legislation precisely because the Government, whilst believing that children should attend school regularly, accept that individual circumstances should be taken into account, and they decided that it was for head teachers to judge.
“I congratulate Mr Platt on his victory. He stood up for his principles; a real David taking on Goliath.”
Hansard 24th March 2014 – Holidays in Term Time
4. Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight) (Con): What guidance his Department has issued to head teachers on what constitutes the exceptional circumstances in which children may be granted leave of absence for holidays during school term time. [903197]
The Secretary of State for Education (Michael Gove): My Department has not issued any specific guidance on this matter.
Mr Turner: There have been examples on the Isle of Wight, and I am sure elsewhere, of parents being told that the Government have banned all term-time holidays, which is particularly difficult for those who work during the holidays. Will the Minister confirm that the definition of exceptional circumstances is made by the head teachers, and not the Government, the council or even the governing body, and that the normal use of language should be sufficiently clear for heads to make those decisions?
Michael Gove: As ever, my hon. Friend is absolutely right: the decision as to what constitutes exceptional circumstances is a matter for the head teacher. It is important, however, to stress that children wherever possible should be in school and learning, and a drive to reduce truancy and push up the number of days and hours that children spend in school is at the heart of our long-term plan to raise standards in our state schools.
