Lower VI Higher Education Programme
The GAP Year Mr. R.J.L. Wood GAP Co-ordinator
The GAP Year The Year Between
The Year Out Upper Sixth Leavers Day to October the following year
15 Months
The Gap Year • • • • • • • • •
1998 – 45% 1999 – 45% 2000 – 38% 2001 – 38% (51 out of 134, 27 deferred 24 PQA) 2002 – 37% (46 out of 123, 24 deferred 22 PQA) 2003 – 49% (57 out of 116, 34 deferred 23 PQA) 2004 – 35% (40 out of 113, 19 deferred 21 PQA) 2005 – 52% (54 out of 104, 30 deferred, 24 PQA) 2006 – 48% (50 out of 103, 16 deferred, 33 PQA)
The GAP Year 2007 – 50% (57 out of 114, 12 deferred, 45 PQA)
• • • • •
2008 – 50% (63 out of 127, 13 deferred, 50 PQA) 2009 – 49% (65 out of 134, 5 deferred, 60 PQA) 2010 – 48% (60 out of 126, 6 deferred, 54PQA) 2011 – 46% (58 out of 126, 3 deferred, 55PQA) 2012 – 52% (59 out of 113, 2 deferred, 57 PQA) 2013 – 42% (50 out of 120, 3 deferred, 47 PQA) 2014 – 37% (41 out of 110, 3 deferred, 38 PQA) 2015 – 55% (76 out of 139, 3 deferred, 73 PQA) Independent - 30%
State - < 20%
The GAP Year - UCAS Applications • Direct Entry
• Apply Autumn Upper Sixth • Deadline is the Week before Autumn Half Term * • For entry September/October that year • No GAP Year
The GAP Year - UCAS Applications • Deferred Entry
• Apply Autumn Upper Sixth • Deadline is the Week before Autumn Half Term * • For entry two years later (last school year + GAP Year) • Take a GAP Year
The GAP Year - UCAS Applications • Post Qualification Application
• Apply from 1st September after leaving School • For entry the following September
• Take a GAP Year
The GAP Year - UCAS Applications â&#x20AC;˘ For Deferred and Post Qualification Application entry check with the department at the University.
Internal Deadlines for UCAS Speech Day – Cambridge – Oxford – Medicine – Dentistry – Veterinary Sci
• All other applications • Week before Autumn Half Term • Post AGCE Level • From 1 September
The GAP Year - Applications • At the start of your Upper Sixth Year
• No harm in planing and thinking ahead • Why not do some research now?
The GAP Year
The GAP Year - Advantages • A welcome change
• A chance to broaden your experience • An opportunity to develop • self reliance
independence confidence foresight initiative maturity
The GAP Year - Disadvantages • • • • •
Delay in getting Qualifications Not appropriate to your subject Danger of drifting Difficult to return to academic studies Drop out rate higher for Direct entry than GAP Year entrants
The GAP Year - Questions • Will I lose the desire to study if I take time out now • If I am doing a long course such as medicine, surely I should just get stuck in? • I am apprehensive of travelling far from home, possibly on my own.
The GAP Year - Essentials • • • •
Plan / think ahead Be positive Do your research A Year out, if it is to be a rewarding and worthwhile experience, will require a lot of preparation • It is NOT an easy option
The GAP Year
The GAP Year • Option 1 (12 weeks)
• Option 2 (15 Months)
• Summer Holiday
• Work
• University
• GAP Project
• Travel • Work
GAP Activities Conservation / Environment Community Action Teaching Expeditions Medicine / Media Creative Projects Archaeological Digs Marine Surveys Journalism Engineering Veterinary / Animal care
Drama Language Study Information Technology Business Studies World of Finance Youth Camps Au Pairing Agriculture Sport Military
The GAP Year - Ideas • • • • • •
Training / Work Experience Discovery / Leadership Conservation Teaching / Instructing Community and Social Work Youth Work / Child Care
The GAP Year - Ideas • The Year in Industry / Accenture / Deloittes / PwC / Ernst & Young • GAP Activity Projects • Teaching / Projects Abroad • Project Trust • Camp America • Gap Challenge • Travel
GAP Organisations EXPEDITIONS Raleigh International Trekforce Frontier Greenforce BSES Expeditions
PROJECTS Volunteer Africa
Lattitude World Challenge Changing World Project Trust Projects Abroad
Outreach International
The GAP Year
Working Activities Finance Companies Year in Industry Camp America BUNAC KES GAP Student Prep School GAP Student
Others BTCV UK Based Coral Cay Year out Drama Company Bright Light D-I-Y
The GAP Year â&#x20AC;˘ Travel London Vienna - Katmandu Bangkok - Vietnam Cambodia - Thailand - Singapore - Bali Cairns - Sydney Auckland Christchurch Buenos Aires - Rio de Janeiro - London
The GAP Year
The GAP Year
Are you ready to go?
The GAP Year
The Gap Year Book
Travelling Know before you go!
www.fco.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo
Passport Is it valid?
www.ukpa.gov.uk
When does it expire? What happens if you lose it? Visa?
www.fco.gov.uk
Immunisations Ask your Doctor / Travel nurse EHIC
www.doh.gov.uk/traveladvice
Travel Insurance Read carefully
Repatriation cost? Personal belongings www.sta-travel.co.uk
Tickets Discount return tickets Open Jaw tickets One-way tickets Round-the-World tickets No-frills tickets e-tickets
Buying Tickets Airlines Travel Agents STA – www.sta-travel.co.uk Student Flights - www.studentflights.co.uk Ebookers – www.ebookers.com Trailfinders – www.trailfinder.com
Money and costs Plane tickets Airport departure tax Visas Insurance Immunisations Kit Cost of living Activities