Ireland's big school secret: how a year off-curriculum changes teenage lives

Sounds like a great idea.

In England, I've seen education get consistently more rigid and inflexible over the years. All about tests, tests and more tests. Teachers leave the profession, children turn off. And as it consistently fails to produce better results, the answer is always to do more of what has failed.

Bring something like this to England, please!

Is this not the same as a gap year?

I’m Irish but unfortunately never bothered with TY. I live in the UK now so I’ve a limited understanding of TY and the ‘Gap year’.

The article says it is like a gap year, but during secondary school.

Clearly not the same as taking time off before university when you are already an adult though. Participation in some activities is required, so it's a bit more structured - and I don't think you can take off on your own to travel the world!