THE heads of some academies in Notts are earning more money than the Prime Minister, the Post can reveal.
Pay packets for some dwarf the amount earned by head teachers at state schools.
Financial records for the 2011-12 school year of academies seen by the Post reveal that:
John Tomasevic, chief executive of the Torch Academy Gateway Trust, which runs Toot Hill School in Bingham, was paid between £172,000 and £176,000.
Susan Jowett, executive principal at George Spencer Academy in Stapleford, earned between £170,000 and £175,000.
The highest-earner at the Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust, which runs Nottingham Academy, in Sneinton, and Nottingham Girls' Academy, received between £190,000 and £200,000.
The amounts include pension contributions.
In comparison, Prime Minister David Cameron is paid £142,500 a year for running the country, while the salary cap for head teachers in state schools is £106,000.
The figures have sparked anger among teaching unions and campaign groups.
Andrea Oates, from the anti-academies group Hands off Our Schools, said: "Our main concern is that some of this money should be going to the classroom and not to these huge salaries.
"Some of these heads are running two or more schools, but can the amount they are getting really be justified when it could be spent on children?"
Ivan Wels, of the Notts branch of the National Union of Teachers, was also concerned.
He said: "I think that this money should be spent on children's education. Instead people are setting up private companies and lining their own pockets.
"There is no justification for the amount of money being earned. It creates a big divide between what is being earned in schools."
Barry Day, chief executive at the Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust, said: "We have 22 academies across the country and pupils in those academies have made significant gains in their examination results."
He referenced a seven per cent increase in pupils that received five or more A* to C grades at the Nottingham Academy and another Greenwood Dale academy in Peterborough that has seen a jump from 39 to 62 per cent of pupils attaining that standard.
"There is a huge responsibility in taking on such challenging schools and the levels of pay within our organisation reflects the degree of difficulty," he said.
A spokesman for the Torch Academy Gateway Trust said Mr Tomasevic's salary was justified.
His trust also runs Meden School, in Mansfield Woodhouse, and is set to open the Nottingham Free School in the Sherwood area next September.
The spokesman said: "This information is a matter of public record and reflects the national demand for outstanding school leaders. The salary is based on meeting critical performance indicators and is reviewed annually."
The Post looked at the financial statements of all other academies taken from the 2011-12 school year.
The highest earner at Fernwood School in Wollaton was paid between £140,000 and £150,000. Nottingham University Samworth Academy principal David Harris received between £120,000 and £125,000.
Robin Fugill at Arnold Hill Academy was paid between £110,000 and £115,000. And Craig Weaver at Carlton le Willows received between £95,000 and £100,000. Djanogly's chief executive Martin Butler was paid between £135,000 and £140,000.
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!['Heads at some Notts academies earn more than the PM']( "'Heads at some Notts academies earn more than the PM'")
