This week, we hosted our annual Gap Year Fair for all Upper Fifth to Upper Sixth students to explore. Every year, our aim for the fair is to broaden the horizon for our girls so they embrace a wide array of opportunities in their lives after Downe. Our thanks to Alice from the Lower Sixth (Year 12) for sharing her account of the event.
The Gap Year Fair was an incredibly informative event, it was beneficial not only for the students who were confident in their decision to take a year off, but also for those who had not previously considered it.
All members of the Upper Fifth to Upper Sixth and their parents were invited to come along and explore the variety of options available. The Murray Centre’s auditorium was packed with around 22 different exhibitors sharing a plethora of opportunities available, ranging from volunteering in Thailand, skiing in Canada to language and cookery courses scattered across the globe.
It was extremely helpful, as it gave us all an insight into the different activities and options available to us outside of school that could help enhance our career paths and our university applications.
In particular, the Language Gap course was very popular among A-level Language students. It provides wonderful opportunities to help improve your language skills while volunteering or completing training placements overseas in any interest area of your choice.
I was especially interested in the Ski le Gap programme, which offers an outstanding selection of social and cultural activities, alongside a course to obtain a Ski Instructor Qualification.
This was certainly an excellent Gap Year Fair which gave everyone many wonderful options to consider, not only when taking a gap year, but also during the holiday periods. Thank you to Mrs Knight and the Futures department for hosting this fabulous event.
It is always our aim in the Futures department to ensure that students are fully informed of all avenues available to them after Downe House. Many are once again turning their thoughts to Gap Years, post pandemic. Mrs Knight organised a fantastic array of companies to attend our annual Gap Year Fair on Saturday and there was a lot of envy from staff and parents about the opportunities that await our young people, we have no doubt they will be off on adventures of a lifetime in the coming years.
– Mrs Barnard (Director of Futures Department and Teacher of History & Politics)
