A York academy trust could have saved £300,000 if its per pupil spending hadn’t increased so much since 2017, according to new figures.
South Bank Multi Academy Trust (MAT), which runs six schools in York, has seen its per pupil costs on central management surge by nearly 50 per cent in six years, according to Education Uncovered.
The website reported that South Bank MAT spent £287 per pupil on nine senior leaders, including its six headteachers, which were listed in its last-published accounts, for 2021-22.
It adds that in 2017, the cost for its “key management personnel” was £195 per pupil and that central spending at the trust thus rose 47 per cent per pupil over the six years.
Education Uncovered suggests that £300,000 would have been saved by South Bank MAT if it had not seen per pupil spending on central management climb in this way.
A spokesperson for the South Bank MAT said: “As a trust, we have a responsibility to ensure that we have a firm strategy in place to succeed for the benefit of everyone within our community.
“As such, with the full backing of the trust board, we have recently invested in our Central Services Team to ensure that we can give the maximum professional and school improvement support to our family of schools and their pupils.”
The spokesperson added: “The investment that the trust has made into central support services, particularly around SEND and personal development, means that we have more capacity to support schools to ensure brilliant provision is in place for children in our classrooms.”
‘It’s a shock’
Cllr Peter Kilbane is ‘deeply concerned’ over the figures, saying: “Whilst MATs are not noted for their prudence when it comes to senior leadership pay, it’s a shock to see that South Bank MAT costs pupils so much more than many other MATs, not to mention the local authority.”
South Bank MAT was in the headlines in December 2022, when primary school pupils protested against plans to cut teaching assistants’ pay.
Teaching assistants were told to sign new contracts which reduced the number of weeks they are paid.
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A letter to senior managers and the trust board, signed by more than 200 people, said there were “serious concerns” among parents about the loss of experienced teaching assistants and strict new behaviour policies.
Cllr Kilbane added: “Coming on the back of the terrible way low-paid teaching assistants have been treated, this is just plain wrong.
“I hope trustees are asking themselves how on earth these eye-watering amounts can possibly be justified, meanwhile families will be wondering how much more it will take before the trust board finally decides that enough is enough.”
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