Tonbridge pupil wins national essay competition
Matthew (FH4) has won the Best Overall Essay prize in the inaugural FT-APG A Level Essay Competition, organised by the American Politics Group of the Political Studies Association in partnership with the Financial Times.
The national competition attracted entries from more than a dozen schools and colleges, with organisers praising the exceptionally high standard of submissions on American politics, history and culture. Matthew’s success reflects both his academic ambition and his strong interest in US politics and current affairs.
Matthew said his fascination with American politics developed through an interest in political institutions and the ways societies manage disagreement. Events such as the 2020 US election and the January 6 Capitol attack prompted him to explore the historical and institutional forces shaping modern American democracy more deeply. His involvement in debating and Model United Nations at School further strengthened his interest in how political systems channel conflict and maintain public trust.
Matthew’s prize-winning essay, Anomaly, Continuation, or Both? Donald Trump and the Tradition of the Paranoid Style in American Politics, explored whether Donald Trump should be understood as a political anomaly or as part of a much longer tradition in American political culture. Drawing on political theorists and historians including Richard Hofstadter, Max Weber, and Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, Matthew argued that while populism, conspiratorial politics and anti-elite sentiment have long existed in the United States, Trump’s ability to bring those ideas to the centre of presidential power was historically distinctive.
James Priory, Headmaster of Tonbridge, congratulated Matthew on his achievement, saying, “Matthew is an ambitious student who takes a strong interest in US politics and brings a keen critical edge to discussion about global current affairs. It is exciting to see him embracing the challenge of such a prestigious competition and we are incredibly proud of his achievement.”
The competition was praised by organisers for encouraging sixth form students to engage critically with contemporary political issues. Dafydd Townley, Chair of the American Politics Group, said the quality of essays submitted demonstrated “that the future of political studies in the UK is very much healthy”.
Reflecting on his success, Matthew said: “Honestly, I was quite shocked. The competition had a very strong field, so I went into it mainly hoping that the essay would at least stand out intellectually. I was most pleased that the judges seemed to appreciate the attempt to combine political theory, history and contemporary politics into a single argument, rather than simply writing straightforward commentary.”
Andrew Jack, Global Education Editor for the Financial Times, also praised the entries, highlighting students’ “interest, deep reading and critical thinking” on American politics.
Looking ahead, Matthew hopes to study PPE at the University of Oxford, with long-term ambitions in public policy, political analysis or international affairs. He said his experiences in debating, Model United Nations, economics competitions and journalism have all strengthened his interest in understanding how political systems shape societies and influence decision-making.
