KCC seeks six-figure school execs
Kent County Council is to recruit two executives on six-figure salaries to head its pioneering education company, it has emerged.
Advertisements for the appointment of a chief executive on a salary of up to £150,000 and a finance director on a salary of up to £100,000 – plus performancerelated pay – have appeared in The Guardian.
The advert describes the company as “arguably one of the largest education companies in the country”, and says candidates will need “the ability to navigate the evolving educational policy landscape whilst leading the company’s success and reach across Kent and beyond”.
It is being set up to provide services to schools in the county and, more crucially, elsewhere.
The aim is to generate money that can then be re-invested in education and schools.
It will be based around the authority’s existing EduKent company, which has a turnover of £26 million and 550 staff.
The new business will have a separate board but will be overseen by the county council.
Education director Patrick Leeson said the company would be expected to make money through providing a range of support services to schools in Kent and beyond.
Among them will be school improvement services to help with classroom standards and adult education.
At a recent meeting, Mr Leeson told councillors: “Schools outside Kent are showing increasing interest in using our services.
“The aim is to have the company launched by next January.
“We are setting up a company board and are recruiting a chief executive and there will be our own shareholder board.”
“It will have a very clear commissioning specification, and it is there to make money.”
KCC has already drawn up a business case for the company, which concluded it would be “a financially viable alternative to continuing to deliver education services in their current form, which looks increasingly unsustainable if no action is taken”.
Although no financial targets or costs have been disclosed, KCC says it will re-invest profits in supporting young people.
KCC has been contacted for comment.