Departed chief executive of Academies Enterprise Trust received an effective pay rise in his final year -with trust conceding he received a “bonus”

Academies Enterprise Trust offices in central London

The controversial former chief executive of one of England’s largest academy chains received an unspecified “bonus” during his final year in charge, which meant his effective monthly pay during his final year in charge increased substantially.

Julian Drinkall, who was regularly among England’s top-paid academy leaders during just over four years in charge of the Academies Enterprise Trust, received £240-£245,000 in 2021-22. This, of course, is well over the £150,000 mark, beyond which the government has in the past taken an interest in trust pay decisions.

But it was paid for just nine months’ work as leader of the central London-based AET, as Drinkall resigned and left the organisation on May 28^th 2021, its just-published accounts for the year to August 31^st, 2021, confirm.

The 2020-21 figure is less than the £285-£290,000 Drinkall was paid in 2019-20. But that salary related, of course, to a full year’s work.