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Parents have been left outraged after it was revealed the head of a south London primary school federation earned £370,000 last year.

Sir Craig Tunstall, head of the Gipsy Hill Federation, was paid £330,000 plus £44,000 in pension contributions by Lambeth council last year, newly released accounts reveal.

It makes the executive head of eight council-run schools Lambeth council's best-paid employee and he is also believed to be the best-paid primary head in the UK.

The council told the Standard that Sir Craig's pay is set by the federation's board of governors, despite it coming out of the council's accounts.

Sir Craig is also responsible for a Lambeth children’s centre, another one in Southwark and three schools in the same area.

His salary is 80 per cent higher than the council’s chief executive and double the amount of Theresa May’s £143,400 wage.

Those shocked by the figures took to social media to express their disgust.

Nick Toms wrote on Facebook: “It is outrageous that the head of a small number of primary schools should be paid £330K a year.

“He's converting them to academies too so he will be untouchable.”

Seanie O’Shea added: “What a shameful waste. This money should be used for improving education not management bank accounts.”

However, others jumped to the head teacher's defence.

James Lightfoot said: “(He) oversees nine schools, well over 100 staff, nearly 2,000 plus pupils with track record of good to outstanding Ofsted reports and of retrieving some schools from special measures to outstanding in a few years. “Ultimately you get what you pay for?

“There are many others in our society who earn far more, but contribute far less.”

The head teacher was awarded a knighthood in 2014 for his services to education and is also one of a group of national leaders of education trained to share their expertise with other schools.

However, he left Croydon’s Oval Primary School after just two days on the jobs in 2011 after harsh punishments for offences such as wearing the wrong coat and failing to stand in line sparked backlash from parents and council bosses.

A spokeswoman for the Gipsy Hill Federation declined to comment to the Standard but have defended the salary, saying the majority of schools run by Sir Craig had been rated outstanding.