Would-be globe trekkers can discover the choices on offer when it comes to taking a gap year before university.

Organisations such as Raleigh and Gap Discovery will be giving talks to Loreto students who want to know how best to take a year off.

Biology teacher Ms Law, who spends her holidays leading scientific expeditions in the Amazon for gap year students, is well qualified to organise the sessions. She took a gap year at 18 and has kept travelling since.

“A gap year can be an immensely enriching experience but it does need planning and preparation,” she said “In my gap year I worked my way around New Zealand and Australia before starting university and since then I’ve completed wildlife surveys in Indonesia, taught English in China, travelled around Canada and next summer I’ll be leading a scientific expedition to the Peruvian Amazon for the 4th year running.”

Advice and guidance on planning gap years will be provided to students via a programme of meetings and talks throughout the year.