Tom

Education

The University of Oxford

Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Philosophy, Politics and Economics

I specialised in post-Kantian philosophy and comparative governance in the philosophy and politics departments at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford.

UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism

Master’s of Journalism

I completed a master’s of journalism at UC Berkeley, reporting on local news and a thesis film on UK economic policy and its affect on social services in Oxfordshire, UK, and the protest movement fighting austerity.

Teaching and tutoring experience

Form Teacher, St. Bernard’s School (2010-2011)

I was form teacher for English, History and Social Studies for children aged eight to 13 in a preparatory and middle school in New York, St. Bernard’s.

Personal Tutor, pupils at Cheltenham College, Winchester College (2015-)

I tutor pupils for their school work, university applications, entrance exams and interviews, including the TSA, SATs and the GRE for undergraduates applying for graduate study.

Teaching style and philosophy

I have taught in an independent boys’ school in New York for a year; I currently tutor a small number of pupils in sixth form mainly on their applications to universities, with a focus on Ivy League (US) and Russell Group (UK) universities. Teaching the skills of coherent prose, forming an argument and critical thinking are particular specialisms.

Additional information

Politics reporter, Tortoise Media (2018-2021)

Reporter for feature articles & investigations into politics, policy and social affairs for ‘slow news’ organisation Tortoise. I would pitch, report and write in-depth longreads and investigations into a range of topics, including: the censorship of drill music, the policing of gangs, extinction rebellion vs. the justice system.

- Nominated for Orwell Prize for Exposing Britain’s Social Evils 2020, for investigation into opioid use and social trauma.

Writer and editor of published material across all of Tortoise’s channels:

- website; social media; quarterly magazine; event pages

Host and programmer for 'ThinkIn' news forums

I brought between 30 and 500 people together into an open news discussion; guests include Tony Blair, Mervyn King, Ruth Davidson

News & video journalist, The Independent (2016-2018)

Newsdesk & politics reporter for The Independent for breaking news & features across UK politics, news and culture, reporting on the US election 2016 and the UK general election 2017.

Director & producer, Documentary Film, ‘Restraint’ (2018-2020)

I made a short documentary film alongside one other co-filmmaker on the deaths in police custody of people who are undergoing a mental health crisis. Link (password: restraint2021).

- Screened at Sheffield Short Film Festival (2021); London Short Film Festival (2021); Unrestricted View Film Festival - Semi- Finalist (2020).

Freelance journalist, Complex Magazine, Vice, Al-Jazeera, and Dazed (2014-2018)