Great Teachers

At BXCL, we pay close attention to how we train and support both our new and experienced educators. We know just how rewarding a teaching career can be, when educators have the right support and opportunities to develop.

From our large family of teachers, we have developed into an international community whose mission is to provide quality education to all. At XCL Education, our teaching community consist of over 2,000 inspired and qualified teachers, teaching support staff and school administrators from all nationalities, who help us to deliver different curricula in over 17 schools in countries across South East Asia.

BXCL Quality Standards

High quality teachers creating educational excellence

The Right Tools

A world of resources and tools at their fingertips

Career Pathways

Rewarding opportunities that can take our teachers anywhere

Global Outlook

Avibrant community of professionals connected across the world

Pioneering People

Engaged teaching professionals with new ideas and knowledge

BXCL Quality Standards

BXCL Quality Standards

High quality teachers creating educational excellence

The Right Tools

The Right Tools

A world of resources and tools at their fingertips

Global Outlook

Global Outlook

Avibrant community of professionals connected across the world

Career Pathways

Career Pathways

Rewarding opportunities that can take our teachers anywhere

Pioneering People

Pioneering People

Engaged teaching professionals with new ideas and knowledge

Senior Leadership Team

Primary School

Secondary School

Whole School

Admin Team

XCL International School Penang is committed to safeguarding children and will ensure that recruitment procedures adhere to safer recruitment guidance. All staff will be subject to an enhanced UK Disclosure and Barring Service check and/or equivalent overseas police check where relevant.

Ian Hopkins

Head of Primary

[email protected]

MBA, Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh & NPQH B.Ed. (Hons) Mathematics

Ian has been in education for over 25 years, beginning his career in teaching in the UK Primary sector where he taught for 16 years, 8 years as a Headteacher in three Primary schools prior to moving internationally. Ian completed the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) in 2007 and is currently undertaking his MBA through Heriot-Watt University. His first degree was a four-year Bachelor of Education with Mathematics from Liverpool Hope University College.

Ian joins XCL International School, Penang (BXCL) having spent the last four years working in China as a school leader in two of the Nord Anglia bilingual schools. Ian was the International Head of Primary in the largest of the Nord Anglia bilingual schools, NACIS, in Shanghai where alongside his co-Headteacher he led 1300 students aged 6-11 before moving to Nord Anglia Nantong as the Acting International Principal.

Prior to moving to China, Ian was at one of the Middle East’s leading international schools in Jordan, the International Community School (ICS), where alongside his role as Primary Headteacher he was also the line manager for their world class inclusion and counselling teams. Ian was also the whole school designated safeguarding lead and worked with the department for education in Jordan in developing policies and procedures which were designed to ensure the safety of all students accessing education in and across Jordan.

ICS was three nominated three times for International School of the Year during the time Ian was a member of the school leadership team, winning in 2018 in the area of Inclusion, nominated twice for its work on safeguarding.

Ian’s first international headship was in Kenya where he led a growing Pre-Prep and Prep school in Nairobi.

Ian has led schools through inspections under the Ofsted framework in the UK in addition to British School Overseas (BSO) inspections during his time internationally. During his leadership in Jordan, Ian was the chair of the steering committee which guided ICS through CIS (Council of International Schools) accreditation. He has also completed the training to be part of the COBIS (Council of British International Schools) Patrons Peer Accreditation teams.

As an educator and school leader, Ian believes very much in a child-centred approach to learning. He puts his students first considering their academic needs are met but ensuring that as a school the teachers also understand that to attain and make progress they need to cater effectively for the child’s emotional and physical needs.