Staff Profiles
Year 5 – Year 6
At St Christopher’s, our dedicated and well-qualified team of staff put your children at the heart of everything we do.
Year 5 – Year 6
Andrea O’Keeffe
Year 5 AO
Science Leader
Science Leader
Andrea is the typical ‘Third Culture Kid’. Although she has close ties to her Irish and Spanish background, she grew up primarily in Japan before completing her Bachelors degree in Natural Sciences at Durham University. She then went on to complete her PGCE teaching qualification at Cambridge University and taught in the Cambridge area for 4 years. Having experienced the international school circuit as a student, she decided to try teaching abroad. Andrea has been teaching in Cairo for a further 3 years and is looking forward to a new adventure in Penang, both in school and travelling around the area.
Outside of school, Andrea loves to play sports, such as basketball, football and squash, but equally enjoys exploring, be it rainforest, desert, underwater environments or cultural heritage. She looks forward to beginning a new adventure with the staff, parents and pupils at SCIPS.
Paul Hinchliffe
Year 5 PH
Paul is from the United Kingdom and has a BSc in Psychology and Philosophy from Glamorgan University. He completed his PGCE in 2004 and has been working as a primary teacher and senior leader in London for the last 14 years. Despite his love of London, Paul has always had a passion for travel and it has been a long-term ambition to work in an international school. He is excited about the changes and challenges ahead and can’t wait get started at SCIPS.
Paul’s other loves include cricket, cycling, learning the piano and exploring new countries and cultures. He is looking forward to the adventures that he, his wife Meriel and his 18 month old son Barney will have whilst living in Penang.
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Jessica Mewis
Year 5 JM
Mathematics Coordinator
Mathematics Coordinator
Jessica is originally from the United Kingdom and has a Bachelor degree in Geography and English from Keele University. She then went on to complete her PGCE teaching qualification at Derby University. After teaching for two years in her home town of Burton, Jessica decided to fulfil her ambition of teaching abroad. She has taught for two years in Dubai and this is her second year at SCIPS. She is looking forward to teaching another group of fun, friendly and inquisitive year five’s.
Outside of school Jessica loves to exercise, travel, explore different cultures and relax in the sunshine. She looks forward to continuing her adventure with the staff, parents and pupils at SCIPS.
Jamie Allman
Year 6 JA
IPC Coordinator
IPC Coordinator
Jamie is from Manchester, England and has a Masters Degree in Film Studies from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Before moving to Penang, Jamie worked for a rehabilitation company helping to rebuild the lives of young men who had suffered from a brain injury. His decision to move to Penang came about when a friend, who was also a teacher at St. Christopher’s, contacted him to say that he could complete his PGCE at St. Christopher’s.
Having already visited the school in 2009 whilst travelling, Jamie could not resist the opportunity to return to the island and build his future here at SCIPS. He is now entering his seventh year at the school.
James McArthur
Year 6 JM
James is from New Zealand and has a Bachelor’s Degree in History and a Graduate Diploma in Education from New Zealand’s oldest university; the University of Otago. He discovered his love for teaching while working as a teacher of English as a second language in South Korea and in Shanghai, China. This led to him returning to New Zealand to gain a Graduate Diploma in Education. Since then he has worked at Edwinstree Middle School in Hertfordshire, UK and then at St Stephen’s International School in Bangkok, Thailand. Over the last four years he has been a class teacher and Maori language coordinator at St Joseph’s Cathedral School in New Zealand. Professionally he is proud of his wide ranging involvement with many clubs, sports and volunteer work. James and his wife visited Malaysia on holiday in 2008 and have looked forward to coming back ever since.
James is accompanied by his wife Georgina and their daughter Nari, who is excited to start her schooling at SCIPS. His hobbies involve the outdoors such as hiking or running, he also does Jiu Jitsu and plays Chess.
Sarah Green
Year 6 SG
IPC Leader
IPC Leader
Sarah is from the United Kingdom. She has a BA in Contemporary Theatre Practice from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Scotland and then later trained to be a teacher, gaining a PGCE Primary Education from University of Paisley, Scotland in 2005. She remained in Scotland and started her teaching career as a Primary teacher. However, the desire for adventure led her to be a volunteer teacher on a remote island in the Marshall Islands, where she lived and worked without any electricity or running water for a year.
Sarah returned to Scotland to teach but her adventurous spirit then led her to Malaysia. She loves life in Penang and has enjoyed working at SCIPS since she joined in 2011. At SCIPS, she was previously the ICT co-ordinator for 3 years and loves integrating technology into her teaching where possible, which has led her to be a Google Certified Educator Level 1 and 2 and to run a Google Education Group (GEG) aimed at developing the use of technology in education. Sarah currently holds the role of IPC Leader in the school. She got married in 2015 to a Penangite and they recently welcomed a new addition to their family, their son Elliott.