红桃影视

One of the country鈥檚 largest trusts is planning redundancies at around 20 of its schools, blaming 鈥渆xtremely challenging鈥� school budgets caused by 鈥渦nfunded鈥� pay and national insurance rises.

But the NASUWT teaching union has accused the of 鈥渄isgraceful behaviour鈥�, pointing out its chief executive Sir Dan Moynihan (pictured) earns over 拢500,000 a year and the trust has tens of millions in reserves.

Schools Week聽understands around 20 schools are in scope 鈥� nearly half of Harris鈥檚 55 academies. NASUWT has said it believes 45 teachers are at risk. The trust was approached for comment.

Funding 鈥榚xtremely challenging鈥�

In a letter from Harris about the redundancies, seen by Schools Week, the trust pointed to the 鈥淯K-wide issue that schools are experiencing in respect of a challenging financial situation鈥�.

鈥淭he key elements of this problem are outside of our, and indeed most schools, control. These issues can only be dealt with by reductions in costs and this will regrettably impact on teaching and support staff numbers for the next financial year.鈥�

Harris said it was 鈥渇acing an unfunded pay rise for teachers of 2.8 per cent and for support staff of 3.2 per cent, which we will have to fund from existing budgets. 

鈥淎dded to this, we also have the extra burden of the governments [sic] increase to national insurance, again which is not fully funded.鈥�

There have been reports that the teacher pay award recommended by the School Teachers鈥� Review Body could be even higher 鈥� around 4 per cent 鈥� with government adamant additional funding is not coming.

The letter states the other issue is a 鈥渃ritical drop in income as, like nearly all London schools, we are experiencing a significant drop in our rolls resulting from the falling birth rate and therefore we have no extra income to offset costs.

鈥淲e are therefore in a challenging situation; and we need to act quickly to restructure in time for the start of the next academic year.鈥�

Harris is 鈥渕indful that we are required to have any changes in place鈥� by the end of May 鈥渋n respect of any fall in teacher numbers due to redundancy鈥�.

鈥楿nderhand tactics鈥�

The trust will 鈥渓ook to 鈥榥atural wastage鈥� and redeployment wherever possible to preserve employment. It is never our aim to lose good and dedicated teaching staff, but the current situation is extremely challenging鈥�.

Harris said indicative affected roles were due to be provided by the end of April 30, and group and one-on-one meetings would start this week.

But the NASUWT鈥檚 acting general secretary Matt Wrack accused Harris of 鈥渢rying to make dozens of dedicated teachers redundant and are using underhand tactics to try and force this through.

鈥淭heir disgraceful behaviour is causing untold stress to our members and will only serve to damage children鈥檚 education鈥�.

The union claimed that alongside 鈥渞efusing鈥� to hold a collective consultation, the trust 鈥渇ailed to provide a business case for the redundancies or any financial justification at all鈥�.

Trust CEO has 拢500k salary

Wrack added: 鈥淭his academy trust has tens of millions in the bank, pays its boss more than the prime minister and yet is seeking to get rid of 45 teachers in its schools.鈥�

Harris was contacted for comment.

Moynihan last year became the first academy trust CEO to draw a salary of over 拢500,000. 

He took home between 拢515,000 and 拢520,000 in 2023-24, up from a range of 拢485,000 to 拢490,000 the previous reporting year.

The trust 鈥� which has been criticised over its executive pay salaries 鈥� has six other members of staff earning more than 拢190,000.

Harris鈥檚 拢28 million reserves equate to around 7.7 per cent of its annual income 鈥� which is 鈥渁pproximately 1.1 months鈥� revenue expenditure鈥�, accounts state. 

Government guidance states nearly all trusts hold at least 5 per cent of total income in reserves, and levels of 20 per cent are considered high.

The union is calling for an 鈥渋mmediate halt to the 45 proposed teacher redundancies, a 鈥減roper collective consultation鈥� and full transparency on the rationale for redundancies.