Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Private school headteacher salaries - pure greed?

117 replies

Gruffalowings · 21/10/2024 14:17

The Times reports that the Head of Eton is getting a 41.5% pay increase to £370 000.

Why?

The Head of the Civil Service only gets £200 000.

I don’t know how many private school headteachers are on more than the prime minister (£167 000), but it’s quite a few these days; at the same time as fees going up, pensions being removed and teachers experiencing below-inflation pay awards.

For all the anger around VAT on fees, I don’t see parents begrudging headteachers these extraordinary salaries.

AIBU to think that what private school headteachers are paid speaks to nothing more than pure greed in these individuals?

Private school headteacher salaries - pure greed?
OP posts:
Redruns · 21/10/2024 14:37

Eton presumably pay what they think they need to to get the person they want. If they thought they could get someone suitable for less, I'm sure they would.

There lots of state school heads on well over £100k

atotalshambles · 21/10/2024 14:34

Do you think they should work for minimum wage? Isn't it market forces etc..? As long as I'm not paying - I don't care!

iNoticed · 21/10/2024 14:34

Surely you’ve just shown that the salary is market driven and broadly in line with competitors given the top 6 are broadly comparable? If one paid out of line they wouldn’t retain or attract top talent.

I work with plenty people earning more than this managing less revenue and less staff, so seems about right to me.

Also the PM is grossly underpaid and requires someone who values power over money. I’d love to get into politics, but no way would I take a pay cut and lose all job security to do so. Which is sad, as I’d be good at it and I’d do it for the right reasons, my earning potential is just better elsewhere.

TromboneClip · 21/10/2024 14:33

ComtesseDeSpair · 21/10/2024 14:24

Parents sending their children to those schools aren’t the ones who are going to be making a decision on whether or not to withdraw their children because they can’t afford VAT.

Parents who work in the sort of fields which means they earn the sort of money to be able to afford fees at the schools paying their senior staff the most are more likely to understand that attracting and retaining good staff means offering an attractive salary.

Comparing salaries paid via taxation (CS and public sector) with salaries paid by private businesses is a false equivalence.

Edited

Are they private businesses now then? Thought they were all charities?!

LostittoBostik · 21/10/2024 14:33

Only those who are very invested in propping up a grossly unfair system are "outraged" over the VAT policy.

This was very well focus grouped before Starmer went for it. The overwhelming majority of the country is 100 per cent supportive of removing the VAT exemption.

You're just hearing a lot about it because so many people in the press send their children to these schools..

Iwantmyoldnameback · 21/10/2024 14:32

Bluevelvetsofa · 21/10/2024 14:30

Whether they are the absolute best is open to question, surely.

Looking at some of their past pupils I could not agree more!

Smartiepants79 · 21/10/2024 14:32

Presumably they think he’s really, really good and they really, really want him?
This affects you how??
You think because he’s working in education he should be doing it for peanuts?
Being head at that school is like being the CEO of a large company with very demanding clients.
His salary is not paid for by you so what has it go to do with you?

Original poster
Gruffalowings · 21/10/2024 14:30

Are you concerned about what the teachers earn? Their pay award this year? Contracted workers? Do you automatically assume they are treated fairly in these privileged settings?

There is extraordinary licence granted by parents to these greedy individuals. It’s a total blind spot - outrage at VAT going on fees, absolute delight that a very rich individual has been given an above inflation pay award while withdrawing their teachers from the teacher pension scheme.

Where’s the logic?

OP posts:
Bluevelvetsofa · 21/10/2024 14:30

Whether they are the absolute best is open to question, surely.

LostittoBostik · 21/10/2024 14:29

They're private institutions, they can pay what they like. But they certainly shouldn't be getting a tax break. So thank goodness that's being sorted.

CherryHinton · 21/10/2024 14:27

Wait until you find out what newly qualified City solicitors are on, cos if we are comparing apples and motorcycles, you will be outraged. Or, say, CEOs of state school multi academy trusts.

Those headteachers haven't decided to pay that themselves, someone else/a board of somebody elses has made the decision.

bifurCAT · 21/10/2024 14:25

How much is your child's education/career/success worth?

CointreauVersial · 21/10/2024 14:25

They can pay whatever they want - they are a private enterprise. If that's what they feel they need to pay in order to attract the absolute best, then it's up to them.

It's then up to the fee payers to vote with their feet if they aren't happy.

ComtesseDeSpair · 21/10/2024 14:24

Parents sending their children to those schools aren’t the ones who are going to be making a decision on whether or not to withdraw their children because they can’t afford VAT.

Parents who work in the sort of fields which means they earn the sort of money to be able to afford fees at the schools paying their senior staff the most are more likely to understand that attracting and retaining good staff means offering an attractive salary.

Comparing salaries paid via taxation (CS and public sector) with salaries paid by private businesses is a false equivalence.

SockPlant · 21/10/2024 14:23

Everyone who wants above minimum wage is greedy, then.

It's a responsible position. What do you want him to earn?

Greenbike · 21/10/2024 14:23

How much do you think the parents at the school earn? How much would the head of another private sector organisation of that size earn?

A school of that size employs hundreds of people and has a turnover in the tens of millions. The head of a private sector company of that size would be on a similar amount or likely more. And most of the parents will be on more too.

MidnightPatrol · 21/10/2024 14:22

What relevance has the salary of the Head of the Civil Service got to do with the Headmaster of Eton’s salary?