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Norland College, which trains the famous uniform-wearing Norland Nannies loved by celebrities and royalty, has awarded its first ever degrees.
The 130-year-old institution, situated in Bath, was given the power to award undergraduate degrees in 2019, just before the pandemic. It is now the smallest undergraduate degree awarding institution in the UK.
Graduates of the four-year course cater to the super-elite including the British royal family. Prince William and Kate Middleton‘s Norland Nanny, Maria Borallo, has been with the family since Prince George, now eight, was eight months old.
Alongside a BA (Hons) in Early Years Development and Learning, graduates receive the prestigious Norland diploma and spend a year working on the job before officially graduating.
Students learn skills that are more often associated with James Bond than with Mary Poppins, including getaway driving and martial arts while pushing a pram to fend of kidnappers or paparazzi.
The highly-prestigious Norland College, located in Bath, held its first ever ceremony for its freshly graduated new nannies for the first time in its 130-year-long history
Graduates of the four-year course cater to the super-elite including the British royal family. Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Norland Nanny, Maria Borallo, has been with the family since Prince George, now eight, was eight months old. Pictured, with the Royal Family
Norland’s first ever graduates threw their hats in the air at the end of the ceremony. They will go on to care for the children of the world’s elite
The 141st cohort of Norland Nanny students – known as Set 41 – took their place in history on April 1, becoming the first to leave the institution with a degree.
The graduates proudly wore the new Norland graduation gown with its symbolic colours of brown, blue and gold.
Dr Janet Rose, Principal of Norland, said: ‘We’re incredibly proud to see our very first students graduate with a Norland-awarded degree.
‘This event represents a significant milestone in our 130-year history and demonstrates how Norland remains at the forefront of raising the status and value of the childcare profession.
Norland nannies complete a rigorous four-year training before they can move on to start their careers
Nannies proudly wore their graduation robes and hats and sported the school’s colours at the ceremony
‘Norland’s unparalleled reputation in the field of early years is now matched with the privilege and responsibilities of taught degree awarding powers.’
Norland also unveiled its new coat of arms at the historic event. The heraldic design features a golden guardian owl sitting in its nest of three owlets.
Over 150 students from sets 41 and 42 attended the Norland degree ceremonies at the Celtic Manor International Conference Centre.
This year also marks Norland College 130th anniversary, an occasion that graduates and staff members celebrated as well
Nannies and staff beamed as they marked Norland’s first ever graduation ceremony. The school was granted the right to award taught degrees in 2019
Norland students complete two courses over four years full-time: a three-year full-time BA (Hons) in Early Years Development and Learning alongside the prestigious Norland diploma.
Plus a one-year full-time probationary nanny position, the Newly Qualified Nanny (NQN) year, which is salaried.
The NQN year is the final module of the diploma and all students must successfully complete not only their degree but also each element of the Norland diploma to use the professional title ‘Norlander’ or ‘Norland Nanny’, as the school’s fully qualified graduates are known.
Returning students in the world-famous Norland get up looked at pictures showing how some of the former students have gone on since leaving the school
Beaming with pride, this year’s cohort of Norland nannies walked up to the stage to receive their degrees
New graduates happily moved the tassel of their graduation cap to show they had just received their degree
Staff members were delighted to mark the event with the graduates that will be leaving the school this year
The graduates posed for pictures as their proud parents and relatives rushed to take their snaps
The degree programme is unique to Norland.
It draws on approaches from many disciplines including psychology, child health, philosophy, social sciences, literature and education.
Modules include Safeguarding and Child Protection, Promoting Health and Wellbeing, Making Sense of Children’s Behaviour and Working with Families and Communities.
Running alongside the degree, and for a fourth year following completion of the degree, is the prestigious Norland diploma, which prepares students for working with families and the practical aspects of the care, learning and development of children in the early years.
Modules include Communication in Practice, Food and Nutrition, Health and Wellbeing, Play and Learning, and Sewing.
Students learn additional professional skills required to work with children, including good timekeeping, team-working, excellent communication skills and respect for and love of children.
Students spend around 50 per cent of their time (a minimum of 1,216 placement hours) at Norland on placement in a variety of early years settings – including nursery, school, hospital, special needs school settings and as a daily and live-in nanny.
Students gain additional skills and experience as part of Norland’s value-added curriculum.
Subjects include: Self-defence classes, Security and Cyber-security training, Emotion Coaching, Sleep and Behaviour, Skid Pan driving, Baby Massage, Drama at The Egg Theatre, and many more.
Newly graduated nannies proudly showed off their degrees, which came in tubes reading the letter ‘N’ for Norland
Norland nannies in the world-famous beige uniform and brown hat formed a choir for the special occasion
Norland College welcomed its first male nanny in 1999. One of the rare school’s male students got to graduate this year as well
Pictured: the world-famous Norland purple hat sported by the nannies, next to one of the ceremony’s graduation caps
Nannies in uniform chatted ahead of the ceremony. They have all passed the school’s demanding entry requirements
Excited graduates gathered in front of their school as they prepared to attend their own ceremony
Source: DailyMail
