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School results don't justify academy trust pay, says Ofsted School results don't justify academy trust pay, says Ofsted
(about 1 hour later)
Top executives at some of England's biggest academy chains are paid huge salaries while pupils are left to get poor results, Ofsted says.Top executives at some of England's biggest academy chains are paid huge salaries while pupils are left to get poor results, Ofsted says.
Chief Inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw highlighted serious weaknesses at seven multi-academy trusts in a hard-hitting letter to the education secretary.Chief Inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw highlighted serious weaknesses at seven multi-academy trusts in a hard-hitting letter to the education secretary.
He said the trusts were sitting on millions of pounds that should be used to raise standards.He said the trusts were sitting on millions of pounds that should be used to raise standards.
The government said that Ofsted had looked at the worst-performing chains.The government said that Ofsted had looked at the worst-performing chains.
Its findings should not be taken to apply to the academy system as a whole, it added.Its findings should not be taken to apply to the academy system as a whole, it added.
David Cameron has said he wants to move fully to an academy system, which would mean no schools in England would be run through local authorities, as many still are now.David Cameron has said he wants to move fully to an academy system, which would mean no schools in England would be run through local authorities, as many still are now.
In the letter to Nicky Morgan, Sir Michael said problems at these multi-academy trusts often replicated those of the worst local councils, and were leading to poor results for too many pupils, particularly disadvantaged ones.In the letter to Nicky Morgan, Sir Michael said problems at these multi-academy trusts often replicated those of the worst local councils, and were leading to poor results for too many pupils, particularly disadvantaged ones.
'Large cash reserves''Large cash reserves'
He said: "Given these worrying findings about the performance of disadvantaged pupils and the lack of leadership capacity and strategic oversight by trustees, salary levels for the chief executives of some of these MATs do not appear to be commensurate with the level of performance of their trusts or constituent academies.He said: "Given these worrying findings about the performance of disadvantaged pupils and the lack of leadership capacity and strategic oversight by trustees, salary levels for the chief executives of some of these MATs do not appear to be commensurate with the level of performance of their trusts or constituent academies.
"The average pay of the chief executives in these seven trusts is higher than the prime minister's salary, with one chief executive's salary reaching £225,000."The average pay of the chief executives in these seven trusts is higher than the prime minister's salary, with one chief executive's salary reaching £225,000.
"This poor use of public money is compounded by some trusts holding very large cash reserves that are not being spent on raising standards."This poor use of public money is compounded by some trusts holding very large cash reserves that are not being spent on raising standards.
"For example, at the end of August 2015, these seven trusts had total cash in the bank of £111m."For example, at the end of August 2015, these seven trusts had total cash in the bank of £111m.
"Furthermore, some of these trusts are spending money on expensive consultants or advisers to compensate for deficits in leadership. Put together, these seven trusts spent at least £8.5m on education consultancy in 2014-15 alone.""Furthermore, some of these trusts are spending money on expensive consultants or advisers to compensate for deficits in leadership. Put together, these seven trusts spent at least £8.5m on education consultancy in 2014-15 alone."
The Department for Education said: "This report is focused on seven chains that Ofsted has identified as causing them the most concern. It is a partial and skewed picture and no reflection on the success of the multi-academy trust model as a whole.The Department for Education said: "This report is focused on seven chains that Ofsted has identified as causing them the most concern. It is a partial and skewed picture and no reflection on the success of the multi-academy trust model as a whole.
'Problems worsening'
"No child should spend a single day in a failing school and work is already under way in all of these cases with regional school commissioners challenging these chains to show how they will improve and where that is not happening taking swift action - a sharp contrast to days when underperforming schools were left to languish under local authorities.""No child should spend a single day in a failing school and work is already under way in all of these cases with regional school commissioners challenging these chains to show how they will improve and where that is not happening taking swift action - a sharp contrast to days when underperforming schools were left to languish under local authorities."
Shadow education secretary Lucy Powell said: "Ofsted has identified a number of very serious concerns within these academy chains.
"The lack of oversight, the lack of capacity within the governance structures and failure to deliver improvements are all issues we have been raising for months.
"As the government continues, without evidence, with its agenda to turn all schools into academies and no system of local oversight to spot and challenge underperformance early, these problems will only get worse, impacting on standards."
Across the seven multi-academy trusts, inspectors found:
The seven multi-academy trusts are: School Partnership Trust Academies, E-Act, AET, The Education Fellowship, Wakefield City Academies, CfBT Multi-Academy Trust, Collaborative Academies Trust and Oasis Learning Multi-Academy Trust.