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
Samuel Blythe
Year 5 SB
Sam has been teaching for ten years and is coming to SCIPS from Bristol in the UK. He qualified at the University of Worcester and has taught in the UK, Qatar and Egypt. With in those schools, he has led history, PSHE, on-line learning and Assessment.
Sam is moving to SCIPS with his wife Francesca, who will also be teaching at the school, their 5 year old son, who will be attending the school, and his 2 year old son who will be joining next year. He is mostly looking forward to getting to know the other teachers and families of the school and forming lifelong friendships within the Community.
Travel and adventure are how Sam likes to spend his free time and he is hoping to explore Malaysia extensively, as well as use it as a hub to visit lots of other places in Southeast Asia. He would most like to see Orangutans in Borneo and Komodo Dragons in Indonesia.
Tiziri Seffal
Year 5 TS
Originally from Bloomington, Illinois, Tiziri is now entering her seventh year of teaching. After studying interior architecture and design, she worked as a designer before realising that her love for languages and teaching was pulling her to swap floor plans for lesson plans. She later completed a Master of Education at the University of Illinois Chicago and has since taught in international schools in Poland, Azerbaijan, Romania and Malaysia.
Growing up in a multilingual family as a first-generation American sparked Tiziri’s love of languages, cultures and the different ways people see the world. Frequent visits to extended family abroad nurtured a love of travel that eventually helped shape her appreciation for different perspectives and ways of life. She speaks English, French, Spanish, and Berber.
Outside the classroom, she enjoys reading, photography, football and trying new hobbies. She also loves travelling and exploring new places, whether that’s a new country or simply a hidden corner of a city. After spending the past two years teaching Year 3 and Year 5 in Malaysia, Tiziri is excited to join the SCIPS community as a Year 5 teacher. She is also looking forward to discovering more of Penang’s natural beauty and food scene.
Keep up to date with what is happening at St. Christopher’s by following us on Twitter and Facebook.
Matthew Thomas
Year 5 MT
Matte is originally from the Forest of Dean, which is close to Bristol in the South of the United Kingdom. Matte always wanted to become a teacher and follow in his grandparents footsteps, who were successful headteachers. When at university, alongside his studies, Matte spent time coaching sports and this was where his passion for teaching was confirmed. Through coaching, he was able to spend time working and travelling around America, developing a deep love for exploring new places and meeting new people. He graduated from his Sport degree at Southampton Solent University before gaining QTS through his Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Primary Education. Following his time at university, Matte spent one year teaching in Bournemouth before teaching for three years in an inner city school in Bristol. Matte then continued his dream of working internationally where he joined an International School in Ho Chi Minh. Matte spent four years working in Vietnam, in year 4 and year 6.
Away from teaching, Matte is passionate about all things sport. Most of his spare time is spent doing sport related activities whether playing or spectating. He finds enjoyment playing golf, football, cricket or going hiking, swimming and spending time in the gym. Matte is looking forward to sampling the delicious variety of foods available and exploring what Penang has to offer.
Sarah van Dillen
Year 6 SV
Sarah is from Wellington, the capital city of Aotearoa New Zealand, and has been teaching for four years. She studied at the University of Auckland, where she gained a Bachelor of Education specialising in Primary. Before moving to Malaysia, Sarah spent a year travelling around Europe, visiting family in the Netherlands, working as an au pair in London, and exploring many countries and historic sites. Having lived in several countries and attended an international school while growing up, Sarah understands the international student experience and enjoys building connections with her students through their shared backgrounds.
In her spare time, Sarah enjoys reading, swimming, baking, and travelling. She is loving her time at SCIPS and has enjoyed exploring her home of Penang as well as other parts of Malaysia. Sarah is excited to welcome her Year 6 class and looks forward to a fun and fulfilling year ahead.
Matthew Booth
Year 6 MB
Matthew, originally from Manchester, England, a city known for music bands like Oasis and of course, Manchester United. Matthew is excited to start his new adventure teaching Year 4 at SCIPS.
After graduating with a Bsc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science at Sheffield Hallam University, Matthew then worked in a range of different jobs before deciding to follow his passion for teaching. He completed his PGCE at Manchester University and has been a class teacher for the past three years, taking on a variety of subject leadership roles along the way.
With a background in outdoor education, Matthew loves getting outside whenever he can. Canoeing, camping, and wild swimming are some of his favourite ways to spend his time. Now in a whole new part of the world, Matthew can’t wait to explore Malaysia, it’s famous food scene and share his enthusiasm for learning and adventures in Penang.
Joe Perry
Year 6 JP
Joe is originally from Bournemouth, a seaside town on the south coast of the United Kingdom. Joe graduated from Brunel University in London with a degree in English with Creative Writing in 2013. After university, Joe worked in London in the field of digital marketing for seven years, writing online content and providing website optimisation advice for a variety of businesses. Seeking more fulfilling, meaningful work, Joe retrained as a primary teacher in 2020. After completing his PGCE, Joe worked at an Outstanding-rated Dorset primary school known for its highly innovative curriculum approach.
After five years teaching in the UK, Joe is excited for a new adventure, and the opportunity to bring his passion for engaging pupils in learning to the diverse SCIPS community fits the bill perfectly.
Joe will be joined in Penang by his wife Lauren and their rescue dog Bosun. The family are looking forward to exploring the island, visiting other parts of Southeast Asia and starting an amazing new chapter in a brand new environment.