16 people paid more than �150,000 last year at the Harris Federation, late-published accounts now show

The number of people paid at least �150,000 a year at England’s second-largest academy trust increased by a third to 16 last year –though there was some falling-off at pay near the highest echelons of management at the chain.

The Harris Federation had five people paid between £150,000 and £160,000, two on 160-170k, five paid between £150,000 and £200,000 and three paid between £220,000 and £260,000. Meanwhile, Sir Dan Moynihan, perennially the most lavishly-rewarded in the sector, saw his remuneration unchanged on £450,000-£460,000.

Last year, some 12 people at the trust, based in Croydon, south London, received at least £150,000, accounts for Harris for 2021-22 have revealed.

The £150,000 benchmark has been significant in recent years since, at least during the time of Lord Agnew as academies minister, the Department for Education was writing to any trust which had a single person – or more – paid above this figure to get them to justify their positions.

The DfE seems to have given up on this initiative, at least in terms of any public pronouncements, since around the time of Boris Johnson’s arrival as Prime Minister in 2019, however.