The TaxPayers’ Alliance has made increasing the transparency of how public funds are used a core mission since its inception 20 years ago. As part of this mission, we have examined the remuneration of those responsible for public spending on behalf of taxpayers. The same principle applies to those responsible for multi-academy trusts, which, while private, are not for profit companies that run schools using funds provided by the government, rather than a local authority.[1],[2] These trusts are typically a group of schools that have joined together under a single leadership structure. In 2022-23, there were 10,176 academies and 4.9 million pupils attending academies. This means academies made up 41.6 per cent of all schools and 54.4 per cent of pupils.[3]
The purpose of a multi-academy trust is to improve and sustain school standards by sharing professional expertise.[4] Under the Johnson government in 2021, the then education secretary, Rt Hon Sir Gavin Williamson MP, stated that it was the government’s vision “for every school to be part of a family of schools in a strong multi-academy trust.”[5] At the start of the 2016-17 academic year, 97 per cent of academies were joining multi-academy trust arrangements.[6]
The heads of these trusts are typically well remunerated. If the increase in multi-academy trust continues, even more scrutiny will have to be place on the multi-academy structure and those who run them. The National Governance Association’s report on multi-academy trusts stated that one of the principles vital to effective governance is that executives cannot expect to attract the same remuneration as those in the private sector.[7] Remuneration must be proportionate to the means available, and the work being done.
Where the head of a multi-academy trust is deserving of significant remuneration and the academies under their supervision are performing at an acceptable level, commensurate remuneration should be provided and performance rewarded. However, if standards at academies do not reach the appropriate level, the head of the multi-academy trust must be held to account and their remuneration addressed proportionately. Evidence from this research indicates that generally those responsible for the largest multi-academy trusts are receiving corresponding remuneration.
This note identifies the heads of multi-academy trusts receiving over £100,000 in total remuneration in 2022-23, as well as the number of pupils and schools governed by the trust.
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Key findings
- At least 757 heads of multi-academy trusts received £100,000 or more in total remuneration in 2022-23, totalling at least £118,463,335. Among these, the average total remuneration was £156,491.
- The trust head who received the largest total remuneration in 2022-23 was Dan Moynihan, chief executive of the Harris Federation. This contained 52 schools and held 40,649 Dan Moynihan received total remuneration of £565,000 including a salary of £487,500 and a pension contribution of £77,500 in 2022-23.
- On a per pupil basis, Dan Moynihan received £13.90 in remuneration for each pupil within the Harris Federation, in 2022-23. On a per school basis, he received £10,865 for each associated school within the Harris Federation in 2022-23.
- Out of 52 schools in the Harris Federation in 2022-23, 33 are rated outstanding by Ofsted and a further 16 are rated good. No data was available for the remaining three.
- In 2022-23, Sunil Chotai, chief executive officer of Charles Darwin Academy Trust, received the highest pension contribution amounting to £177,500. The Charles Darwin Academy Trust had 1,736 pupils across two schools in 2022-23.
- In England, United Learning Trust had the largest pupil headcount of any multi-academy trust with 57,287 pupils in 2022-23. These pupils were spread across 79 schools, the most schools of any multi-academy trust. This trust did not provide any details in its accounts regarding the remuneration of its chief executive, Jon Coles.
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[1] Linford, N., What Is An Academy? (And other questions about converting schools), Schools Week, 16 March 2016, schoolsweek.co.uk/what-is-an-academy-and-other-questions-about-converting-schools/#:~:text=Academies%20are%20schools%20run%20by,cannot%20run%20schools%20for%20profit, (accessed 15 November 2024).
[2] Browne Jacobson LLP, Understanding academy trusts, National Association of Head Teachers, February 2023, p.6.
[3] Haves, E., Improving schools’ performance: Are multi-academy trusts the answer?, House of Lords Library, 11 September 2023, www.lordslibrary.parliament.uk/improving-schools-performance-are-multi-academy-trusts-the-answer/, (accessed 12 September 2024).
[4] Department for Education, Multi-academy trusts Good practice guidance and expectations for growth, December 2016, p.5.
[5] Williamson, G,. Education Secretary speech to the Confederation of School Trusts, Gov.uk, 28 April 2021, www.gov.uk/government/speeches/education-secretary-speech-to-the-confederation-of-school-trusts, (accessed 12 September 2024).
[6] Department for education, Multi-academy trusts Good practice guidance and expectations for growth, December 2016, p.6.
[7] Fellows, T, Henson, S & Knights, E,. Moving MATs forward: the power of governance, National Governance Association, June 2019, p.14.