Teachers paid six-figure sums to walk away from their jobs

More than 160 school staff who were sacked or made redundant in the past year picked up generous payouts.

One Fulham headteacher was given almost ?200,000 for loss of office when his school merged with another.

The investigation shows teachers were paid tens of thousands of pounds to leave school ?by mutual agreement?, and many signed confidentiality clauses.

Emma Boon, campaign director of the Taxpayers? Alliance, said: ?Taxpayers will view these payouts as overly generous packages at a time when schools are searching for savings.?

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show Dinesh Ramjee, former head of Henry Compton school in Fulham, was paid ?195,490 to leave after it merged with nearby girls? school Fulham Cross to become Fulham College.

Other payouts include:

• A headteacher in Lambeth was given ?117,500 after stepping down ?by mutual agreement?.
• An Enfield head was paid up to ?30,000 after resigning and signing a confidential ?compromise agreement?, which means no further action could be taken against the council.
• A Bromley teacher was given a ?termination payment? of up to ?22,000.
• A member of staff at a Greenwich school was awarded ?59,215 after being made redundant.

Ms Boon said: ?Sadly, good headteachers might occasionally have to be made redundant ? and most will be entitled to receive a redundancy payment ? but some of these sums look excessive.

?Details of these arrangements must be published to ensure taxpayers? money is not being abused.?

Mr Ramjee, who stepped down from Henry Compton school in August 2010, has been volunteering with VSO in Gambia since he left his job, after 37 years in education. Union representatives negotiated the settlement.

He said: ?It was a private arrangement between myself and my governors and the local authority.?

A Hammersmith and Fulham council spokeswoman said: ?We now have one executive headteacher, instead of two, which has led to substantial and ongoing savings.?

Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Headteachers, said: ?Headship is an accountable role, and rightly so, but if we move people on when things aren?t working or the role is redundant, we need to ensure they and their families are protected during the change.?

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