The pay of academy trust bosses has continued to rise, with the highest paid chief executive in the country now earning more than £400,000 a year, a TES analysis has found.

TES looked at the accounts for a sample of 20 high-profile trusts, and found that virtually all of them increased the pay of their senior leaders in 2015-16.

The highest individual earner was Sir Dan Moynihan (pictured). The Harris Federation chief executive’s pay rose by a minimum of £20,000 from £395,000-£400,000 to £420,000-£425,000.

Ian Comfort, the former chief executive of the Academies Enterprise Trust (AET), saw his pay rise from £225,000 in 2014-15 to £236,000 in 2015-16.

His successor at AET, Julian Drinkall, will be paid even more, with a salary of £240,000 this year.

Toby Salt, chief executive of Ormiston Academies Trust - who is about to become chief executive of the AQA exam board - earned £205,001-£210,000 in 2015-16, up from the £200,001-£205,000 pay bracket of the previous year.

Alan Yellup, chief executive of Wakefield City Academies Trust until May 2016, had a salary of £180,001-£190,000 - a year previously he had earned £160,001-£165,000. And he was succeeded by Mike Ramsay, interim chief executive, who was paid £127,153 for 26 weeks’ work.

More senior leaders on big pay packets

As well as chief executives’ pay rising, the number of senior leaders with big pay packets also increased.

At Oasis, eight employees earned £110,001-£120,000 in 2015-16, compared with five the year before, and six took home £100,001-£110,000, compared with only three in 2014-15.

At Ark Schools, five people earned more than £150,000 in 2015-16, up from three the previous year.

However, at Outwood Grange Academies Trust, the most highly paid employee moved from £200,001-£205,000 to £170,001-£175,000. The trust said this was because then chief executive Sir Michael Wilkins reduced his hours.

For the full details of TES’ analysis of academy accounts, see the 3 February edition of TES

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