A Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by YourLocalGuardian revealed how much money the local authority had made from school absence fines since the 2021-22 academic year.
The data, which covers as far as mid-June 2025, shows Croydon Council has brought in £232,849 in total since 2021.
In the 2021-22 academic year, the first full school year after pandemic restrictions eased, the council collected £28,829 from penalty notices.
This more than doubled the following year, with £66,120 raised in 2022-23.
The total fine income increased again in 2023-24 to £72,900, the highest amount recorded.
Between September 2024 and June 2025, Croydon Council had already collected £65,000 in fines, making it likely this year will surpass most previous records once completed.
Unlike other councils, Croydon’s data did not break down the fines by school term, meaning it is unclear which period saw the highest number of penalties issued.
However, the FOI did reveal which schools had the most fines issued during each year.
In 2021-22, the highest number of fines were linked to The Archbishop Lanfranc Academy, Park Hill Junior School, and Harris Invictus Academy Croydon.
The following year, Harris Invictus Academy Croydon remained on the list, joined by Norbury High School for Girls, Park Hill Junior School, Thomas More Catholic School, and West Thornton Primary School.
In 2023-24, Elmwood Junior School, Harris Academy Beulah Hill, Norbury High School for Girls, St Joseph’s College, and West Thornton Primary School recorded the most fines.
In 2024-25, Downsview Primary School, Gonville Academy, Harris Academy Beulah Hill, Thomas More Catholic School, and West Thornton Primary School have been identified.
School absence fines are usually issued when children miss school without authorisation, such as holidays taken during term time or unexplained absences.
The money collected goes into Croydon Council’s general fund, which contributes to the overall council budget.
There is no requirement for it to be spent specifically on education.
Under current government rules, parents can be fined £80 per child if their child has 10 sessions (equivalent to five school days) of unauthorised absence within a 10-school-week period.
This fine must be paid within 21 days to avoid increasing.
If it is not paid within 28 days, the fine rises to £160.
If a parent receives a second penalty notice for the same child within three years, the fine remains £160 with no early payment discount.
Failure to pay or continued unauthorised absences can result in prosecution, leading to a fine of up to £2,500 per parent per child, a community order, or even a prison sentence of up to three months.
