Average pay and pensions packages for CEOs of academy trusts, just outside England’s 10 largest, approached £300,000 last year
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New analysis by Education Uncovered shows a £200,000 salary is becoming standard among larger chains – with pensions payments where disclosed averaging more than £50,000.
The total pay and pensions packages for chief executives of large academy trusts outside England’s 10 biggest chains increased to well above £250,000 last year, with salaries alone routinely above £200,000, early accounts analysis by Education Uncovered reveals today.
Evidence from the 2024-25 financial statements of 10 academy trusts, ranked 11 to 25 among England’s chains in terms of size, saw the average top pay sitting at around £220,000 - with employers’ pensions contributions, where disclosed, taking this figure to £274,000.
The disclosures show that a figure of £200,000 in salary alone, which is nearly £30,000 above what the Prime Minister was paid last year, has become standard among the largest 25 chains, with only two trusts which have so far published their accounts having paid their CEOs below this amount.
At nearly eight per cent, the average increase in CEO pay at these chains appears to have outstripped that allocated for a standard classroom teacher role in England.
The analysis is likely to continue the debate over academy leadership pay, with my recent analyses for the Campaign for State Education having shown that larger chains are spending more per pupil on highly-paid managers, and less in the classroom, than do smaller trusts and, especially, local authorities and their schools.
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By Warwick Mansell for EDUCATION UNCOVERED
Published: 22 January 2026
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Again the expression that comes to mind is "colour me surprised" (sarcastic use!). Acadamisation like so much of the frenzy of privatisation was never about service, or quality or the consumer (just look at post, rail, water and energy) but about the transfer of public funds to private hands and the removal of scrutiny, democracy and accountability. When you see the size of the trough in other private organisations you are only going to be jealous and want a bigger trough for yourself. So, surprised no - disgusted by the greed - yes.