IF students find themselves with an unexpected gap year, courtesy of the latest exam fiasco, they could take advantage of the British Institute of Florence’s varied programme ranging from seven-month accredited courses to those lasting a few days. Through a recent link with the University of Bristol, the institute offers two terms of accredited courses in art history which can be combined with A-level Italian from scratch. Shorter courses are offered on Italian literature, cooking, cinema, opera and architecture. They are available for adult learners and school leavers.