Ian Wallace

Director of Education - East at Cognita

Speaker

Ian Wallace is Director of Education (East) at Cognita, leading school improvement, educational governance and the quality of teaching and learning across 20 schools in the Middle East and Asia, serving over 35,000 students.

Ian joined Cognita as Director of Education with responsibility for four schools in the group’s newest growth region. His remit soon extended to all Cognita schools in the UAE, where he led a sustained improvement agenda and saw every school improve its inspection outcomes. In the UAE, inspection ratings shape parental choice, reputation and a school’s ability to grow, so these results are a direct measure of both educational and commercial performance. On the strength of that track record, he now oversees all Cognita schools in the East.

Ian also holds global responsibility for Cognita’s School Improvement and Governance Framework, the single standard by which every Cognita school worldwide is supported, challenged and held to account.

With over 20 years in education, Ian began as a Design Technology teacher in the UK and went on to lead Horizon English School in Dubai from Very Good to Outstanding as Principal.

He is committed to building the next generation of school leaders and has trained aspiring headteachers through the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH), the UK’s national qualification for headship.

Ian speaks on building high performance cultures, drawing on his experience of driving consistent quality and lasting improvement across a fast growing international group.