Cathal McKeown

I am a well-qualified, passionate and motivated primary school teacher. I have experience of teaching a variety of year groups from Foundation to Year 5. I have a passion for performing arts which I love instilling in every school that I have taught in. I promote positive relationships with my pupils and provide a love for learning with my enthusiasm for every subject I teach.

Oryx International School, Doha August 2025-April 2026

• Supporting teaching and learning in a Year 5 class within an international school in Qatar, delivering engaging and well-structured lessons across the curriculum.
• Planning and delivered learning activities in collaboration with the class teacher, ensuring alignment with curriculum objectives and school policies.
• Supporting EAL pupils by using visual resources, simplified language, modelling, and structured scaffolding to improve understanding and participation.
• Encouraging development of spoken and written English through targeted vocabulary support and guided discussion.
• Using ICT effectively in lessons, including interactive whiteboards, online platforms, and digital resources to enhance engagement and learning outcomes.
• Assisting pupils in using technology to research, create presentations, and complete independent learning tasks.
• Contributing to assessment practices by recording observations, marking work, and supporting both formative and summative assessments.
• Analysing pupil progress data with the teacher to inform planning and identify next steps in learning.
• Differentiating tasks to meet a wide range of abilities, ensuring all pupils could access and progress in learning.
• Supporting classroom management, promoting positive behaviour, routines, and high expectations for learning.
• Ensuring a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment that promoted pupil wellbeing and confidence.
• Taking responsibility for general classroom duties, including preparing resources, supporting displays, supervising transitions, and assisting with pastoral care.

Newton International School, Lagoon Campus January-June 2024

• Planning LTP, MTP and STP according to the British National Curriculum.
• Recording and assessing pupil progress at the end of each term to evaluate and create pupil targets.
• Maintaining discipline within the classroom through the award of showing positive behaviour and school values.
• Marking on a daily basis to ensure that positive feedback and targets are given to each child.
• Meeting of deadlines to ensure that data is recorded in place for creating end of term reports.
• Provide next steps, greater depth activities and mastery challenges for the gifted and talented students.
• Creating classroom displays that are colourful, engaging and promote learning.
• Establishing positive relationships with parents through parent teacher meetings and cause for concern meetings where necessary.
• QNSA inspection experience.
• Use of ICT resources, such as Interactive Whiteboard and iPads with interactive learning apps such as ActiveLearn for Reading and Doodle for English and Mathematics.
• Weekly extra-curricular activities provided for children to practice singing and play soccer.

The Hamilton International School, Doha, August 2021-June 2023

• Creating a safe learning environment for pupils to respect each other and achieve their full potential.
• Recognising student diversity and nurturing every child’s progress, academically, socially and emotionally, so that they constantly improve and can participate fully in learning activities, consolidating their knowledge, skills and understanding.
• Teaching of a Key Stage 1 class through the use of; Talk for Writing in English, White Rose in Math and Read Write Inc in Phonics lessons.
• Experience of teaching the International Primary Curriculum (IPC).
• Establishing a handwriting policy across the school through incorporating Nelson Handwriting into daily lessons.

QNSA and NEASC inspection experience.

• Adaptability through working online during the COIVD-19 pandemic. Creating routines and timetables that allow children to access learning from home to continue a growth mindset.
• Use of technology within the classroom, providing students with the opportunity to develop their media skills by producing short films and news segments.
• Making use of the amazing sport and outdoor facilities in the school for ECA; football and performing arts.
• Making use of the music and production facilities with soundproof rooms, practice rooms, and a sound editing suite, enabling our students to produce their own music.
• Personalizing the curriculum to meet the needs of all learners in their class, showing awareness that some children require extra support and interventions to meet their individual targets.
• Being part of an International Schools Partnership (ISP), having the opportunity to collaborate and share educational practices as well as being a part of the ISP global community.

Newton International School D Ring, Doha, Qatar, August 2017 to June 2021

● Planning LTP, MTP and STP according to the British National Curriculum.

● Recording and assessing pupil progress at the end of each term to evaluate and create pupil targets.

● Maintaining discipline within the classroom through the award of showing positive behaviour and school values.

● Marking on a daily basis to ensure that positive feedback and targets are given to each child.

● Meeting of deadlines to ensure that data is recorded in place for creating end of term reports.

● Provide next steps, greater depth activities and mastery challenges for the gifted and talented students.

● Creating classroom displays that are colourful, engaging and promote learning.

● Establishing positive relationships with parents through parent teacher meetings and cause for concern meetings where necessary.

● QNSA and BSO inspection experience.

● Trained in; White Rose, Pobble, Talk 4 Writing, Google Classroom, VLE, P4C, SIMS and Zones of Regulation.

● Use of ICT resources, such as Interactive Whiteboard and iPads with interactive learning apps such as ActiveLearn for Reading and Times Table Rockstars for Multiplication.

● Organisation of annual school talent shows, organising children into groups to perform songs through singing, dancing and playing instruments.

● Weekly extra-curricular activities provided for children to practice singing and play soccer

St. Mary’s University College, Belfast, Sept 2013 - June 2017: 2:1 Honours in Bachelor of Education Primary Teaching through the Medium of Irish

Abbey Grammar School, Newry, Sept 2006 - June 2013:

A Level Results; Irish A, ICT A, Mathematics B.

GCSEs Results; Irish A*, Spanish A*, Religious Studies A*, Mathematics A, English Language A, English Literature A, ICT A, Business Studies A, Art A, Learning for Life and Work A, Additional Mathematics B, Physics B.