Hi, I’m Tom, the Outdoor Education Coordinator and I work across the school to help set-up BIS Abu Dhabi’s exciting range of trips and visits, from Fossil Rock to Spain and all the way to Tanzania! It’s an exciting role and one that enables me to see the huge benefits that these educational trips can have on our students. I am also an Award Leader for the schools Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme which is also hugely beneficial.
I am originally from the UK and spent most of my life living there. I met my partner around 10 years a go now and we got married in May this year in the beautiful Lake District in England. My wife also works at BIS Abu Dhabi and is part of the Year 2 team and we are very excited to make the UAE our home.
Most of me free time is spent travelling and taking photos along the way. I have travelled to over 50 countries and the had the opportunity to meet some amazing people, who are now good friends. My wife and I decided to take a year out from work in 2012 and go travelling for a whole year – I guess you could call it a delayed gap-year! This time away from home and being immersed in different cultures really made me, not only appreciate the world we live in, but it also taught me so much and kick started my desire to travel.
We have many trips planned going forward and being based here in Abu Dhabi makes it extremely easy to get some stunning locations!
In my spare time, I am also a semi-professional photographer and frequently work with brands that need content creating, whether it’s a hotel or a watch brand or even a family photo session! Travelling and photography go together so perfectly, which makes my two hobbies more of a passion! I am very eager to explore more of the UAE and capture its beauty through the camera.
If you were interested in following along on my photography journey, then please do feel free to check out my Instagram page - @nomadlad – thanks!
Thomas Carter
A few weeks ago, as part of our IB DP Language programme, Year 12 students in the French Ab Initio and French B classes united to celebrate Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday). Originally a catholic event welcoming the ritual fasting of Lent, Mardi Gras is celebrated in France with festive parades and sumptuous public celebrations.
At BIS Abu Dhabi, students came together to not only recognize the festivity but rejoice at the opportunity to share and learn about the international traditions fostered within our community. With the help of Monsieur Depose and Mademoiselle Merchadier, the French DP classes baked tasty treats, including crepes, waffles, brownies, and traditional beignets!
As a teacher at BIS Abu Dhabi, I have the privilege of watching students grow — not just academically, but as young people finding their path in a complex world. One thing I’ve learned time and again is this: success doesn’t come from rare moments of brilliance — it comes from the quiet power of habits.
Research tells us that up to 40% of what we do each day is driven by habit, not active decision-making. That means the routines our students form — the way they begin their morning, how they handle a setback, whether they choose to read or scroll — are shaping who they become.
I was really touched by Áine’s newsletter piece last week, posing the question: ‘What would I tell my younger self?’
I spent some time afterwards thinking about my own parenting journey, and what it’s all been about, now that my two are adults and have ‘flown the nest’. Parenting isn’t easy for any of us, and that’s true even if you’re an experienced school leader – at home, I’m just Dad.
You might have seen the trend going around - “If I could tell my younger self one thing…” - a moment to reflect, to offer advice we wish we’d heard earlier, or to remind ourselves of what truly matters.
As students prepare to cross some of the biggest milestones in school life, it feels like the perfect time to pause and join in that conversation. But it’s not just our students who are preparing — so are we, as parents. These milestones don’t just belong to them. We’re living every part of it too: the anticipation, the pride, the nerves, and the quiet hopes. Sometimes, it’s the hardest thing in the world — to watch them take these big steps, to stay strong when they wobble, to let go just a little more. It’s a milestone for us as much as it is for them — and we’re walking it together.
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