THE Government last night defiantly pledged to crackdown on parents who take children out of school during term time after a father won a ruling in his favour in the High Court.

Ministers said the issue was 'non-negotiable' and said they would prepare emergency legislation to close the loophole exploited by Jon Platt, the dad who won his case yesterday.

Teaching unions warned the issue threatened to cause friction between schools and parents - as lower-earning parents cannot afford to take their children on holiday during school breaks.

Mr Platt was fined by Isle of Wight Council after he took his six-year-old daughter on holiday to Florida without permission from his child's school, but the High Court upheld his case, saying there was no evidence to show his daughter had failed to attend school regularly.

However, within minutes of the victory a Department for Education spokesman said the rules would be tightened further following the case.

"We will look at the judgement in detail, but we are clear that children's attendance at school is non-negotiable and we shall now look to change the law," he said. "We plan to strengthen the statutory guidance to schools and local authorities."

Thousands of parents were fined by local authorities in the region in the last academic year, including 416 in Durham, 926 in North Yorkshire and 343 in Darlington. So far this academic year, 339 parents have received a fine in Middlesbrough.

The case came as a study showed holiday prices were up to 115 per cent more expensive during school breaks than in term time.

The Northern Echo:

Jon Platt outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London

One mother-of-three in the region - who has paid out almost £1,000 in court fines and costs for taking her children on holiday in term-time - said no two families were the same and there should be more discretion used in fining parents.

Leanne Stairmand, of Lazenby, east Cleveland, took her daughter Tegan, now ten, out of school for a trip with partner Jordan Williams, two-year-old daughter Lilly-May and four-year-old son Marley to Butlins in Skegness last year. She was charged with failing to ensure Tegan attended school regularly between May 11 and May 15, 2015.

Although she received a cash grant for the five-day holiday for her son, Marley, because he suffers from Down's Syndrome, Wilton Primary School refused permission for Tegan to be excused.

When the request was turned down she decided to take them on the trip anyway, which earned her a fixed penalty fine from the school. When she declined to pay she was taken to court, where she was fined £250 and ordered to pay £225 costs. It was the second fine in as many years after punishment for taking a trip to Center Parcs in term-time after a family member bought them the holiday as a break. That visit also landed her in court with costs and fines of £475.

She said: "I don't think it was fair. Tegan's attendance is excellent - she has had awards for good attendance - and I can't afford to take them away in the holidays - the prices are ridiculous.

"On top of that Marley doesn't like loud noise and crowded places and it's difficult to find anywhere quiet in the school holidays. We deserve a holiday - we have been through a lot as a family. Looking after Marley means the other two miss out sometimes, and they need a break.

"I've had a lot of abuse from people about this, but I think that every family is different and if their attendance is good at school why shouldn't they be able to take a few days' holiday when it is affordable?"

New rules to fine parents taking their children for term time holidays were introduced three years ago to punish parents over absences, if permission is not given by the school.

Simon Kennedy, of teachers' union the NASUWT, said: "It is very important for kids to be in school. Having fixed penalty fines and being able to exercise discretion isn't a bad thing.

"But if the Government tighten up the rules it becomes complicated for parents and can lead to issues of conflict between parents and the school, unnecessarily. We should leave it to the schools to exercise discretion. I would hope common sense would prevail and if someone is regularly missing school then something has to be done.

"If their attendance is good, and they want a day or two off for a very good reason, it shouldn't be a problem. It's about getting the balance right."

A survey by travel money provider FairFX showed families face paying more than double the price for a package holiday as soon as school holidays begin. A study of package holidays for a family of four at a four- star hotel in Tenerife, Majorca, the Costa del Sol and the Algarve found that prices increase by up to 115 per cent compared with the same trip taken two weeks before schools close for the summer.