Tendring College: Trust boss under fire for taking £300k salary

Julian Drinkall is the chief executive of the non-profit Academies Enterprise Trust, which runs 58 schools across the country, including three in north Essex.

For the past two years he has taken home about £300,000 and is the second highest paid chief executive of an academy trust, according to a Schools Week report from 2019.

Mr Drinkall’s salary has come under scrutiny ahead of a three day strike at the trust’s Tendring Technology College.

Members of the National Education Union will form a picket line outside the school’s Frinton and Thorpe-le-Soken campus from Tuesday.

Members believe a planned restructure will result in job cuts and are angry at money from pupils’ allocation is going to the trust.

Read More: Tendring teachers planning to stage three day strike

Trust bosses have acknowledged they have reduced the teacher headcount by four per cent but said the college is over staffed compared to other schools.

Jerry Glazier, NEU Essex branch secretary, said: “The dispute has shone a light on how the trust’s costs appear to have been significantly increasing.“Very high CEO salaries are unacceptable to the union.

“These organisations are funded by public money.

“Money for schools should be maximised in schools to provide enough staff that enhance teaching and learning.”

Read More: Trust says Tendring Technology College is 'overly staffed'

Although union bosses believe the figure is far too high, the trust believes their boss' wage is justified given how many students Mr Drinkall oversees.

A spokeswoman for the trust stressed the CEO has also not taken a pay rise since being appointment five years ago.

She said: "AET has over 33,000 pupils across its 58 schools, and on a per school and pupil basis, the salary and total remuneration of the CEO is amongst the lowest of academy trust leaders in the country.

“It is also worth noting that the CEO has declined any pay increases since he joined the organisation in December 2016.”