A few years ago, actress Emma Thompson announced that her 10 year old daughter Gaia would be taking a gap year before she started secondary school. Somewhat inevitably, this provoked a lot of criticism from education authorities. The National Association of Headteachers claimed that “it [was] difficult to see how the situation can be anything but detrimental to [her] education”, but Emma stood firm despite the frosty reception of her decision.
As education campaigner Margaret Morrissey said at the time, “She might see the world and have a fantastic experience, but she’ll miss an awful lot in a year and will be way behind her peers. A child might not ever properly catch up after a break that long.” Comments about Emma’s wealth also assured the public that this sort of gap year might only be feasible through financial advantage, whereas a typical household would probably be unable to afford such an option.
Gaia eventually completed her gap year but “scaled back” on her original plans of travelling the world for an entire year, instead deciding to spend some quality time with her family and only visiting a few countries.
So, is 10 years old really too early? Ultimately, a gap year serves the same purpose regardless of age. Research has proven that gap years really are hugely beneficial to personal development, and seeing the world at such an early age can indeed shape you more than it will at 18, as your mind is likely to be more impressionable. Also, gap years are not just for 18 year olds anymore, as the increasing popularity of the post-uni and post-career gap year has demonstrated.
But at 10 years old it’s highly unlikely that you know what you want to do with your life, and after all, you are still a child. Emma Thompson described her daughter’s gap year as “a break from education and show[ing] her the world a bit and take a break myself”, so it wasn’t so much a life-changing adventure as a small pause in between a significant life transition. Furthermore, in order to have official permission to leave school, local councils must be reassured that a child will have sufficient education during their absence, so Thompson’s daughter was not missing out on an education whilst on her gap year.
Which, in a way, contradicts the idea that a gap year is an opportunity to take a break from traditional education and to experience life outside of a classroom. Also you cannot ignore the fact that education is compulsory up until 16 so unless there are exceptional circumstances, it would be very difficult for a child of 10 to embark on a gap year. Fundamentally you have to question what a 10 year old would gain from a year out, and whether the same could be achieved from a traditional summer holidays.
So, perhaps, all things considered, 10 years old is too early for a gap year. But when it comes to planning your year out, it’s never too early to start!
