FoxEd Education Consultants

Ian has recently retired from his position as Principal at Bucklands Beach Intermediate School, Auckland, New Zealand. This is a coeducational school catering for around 750 students aged between 11-13 years.

He has now set up his own consultancy company, FoxEd Education Consultants Ltd, in conjunction with Robyn, his wife, who has also had an extensive and significant career in education.

Ian has had a long interest in learning and continually works to assist teachers develop strategies to assist students take increasing responsibility for their own learning so they can better meet the challenges they will face in the future.

In 1995 Ian was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship enabling him to study for three months in the USA with the focus on how a student portfolio could assist with the measurement of student progress. Since that time he has developed his own “Learning to Learn” model to better illustrate portfolio developments at Bucklands Beach Intermediate School.

In 1999 Ian was the recipient of a further three months scholarship funded by the ASB Bank in New Zealand. His topic was “Developing a Vision for Learning in the 21st Century.” He was particularly interested to explore how effective schools develop structures to turn vision into reality and the role a ‘catalyst’ has in this process.

In recent years Ian has presented papers at conferences and seminars widely both in New Zealand and overseas. He has worked at Örebro University in Sweden where his “Learning to Learn Portfolio” model has been adapted to the Swedish context and introduced into many Swedish schools. He presented at the International Council of Principals’ (ICP) World Conference in Helsinki in July 1999, and also at the European School Heads’ Association (ESHA) conference in Malmo, Southern Sweden in September 2000 and again in Estonia in 2002. Over the past eleven years Ian has travelled extensively throughout the Baltic region. During Ian’s most recent visit, in September 2007, he travelled to Norway to present a keynote address at the Skienskonferansen, in Skien, along with seminars in Trondheim in the north. He also presented a keynote address at the “5th Internationella Portfoliokonferensen” at the University of Örebro in Sweden along with seminars in Lund, Stockholm and at the University of Visby in Gotland.

Ian co-chaired the organising committee for the International Confederation of Principals (ICP) biennial conference held in Auckland, New Zealand, from 2-5 April, 2007. This was an outstanding event with close to 1600 delegates from more than 30 different countries attending. The conference theme, “The Leading Edge“, was designed to look particularly at innovation, creativity and futures thinking within the context of educational leadership. Delegates attending had the opportunity to hear from some of the foremost educational researchers and speakers throughout the world, as well as having opportunities to network with international colleagues.

Ian’s contributions were recognised in the Queen’s Birthday honour’s list, June 2007, where he was awarded the Queen’s Service Medal, (QSM) for his services to education. This prestigious award sits alongside his earlier recognition from peers as an Associate of the New Zealand Principals’ Federation. (ANZPF), and a Service with Distinction Award, from the Auckland Primary Principals’ Association.

Ian would like to thank those who are interested in his work. He has written several papers that are available freely for download here. If you would like to acknowledge your interest please leave a note via the contact page. That would be appreciated. Once again thank you for your interest.