Life at Norland College Part 1

I have encountered so many people since I have lived in the U.S. (18 years) that are totally stunned and amazed (or as we say in Yorkshire 'gobsmacked') when I say I trained to become a nanny at college.  The usual response is "there's a college for that"?

Yes people...there ARE colleges in Britain where you can train in childcare to become a nanny.  I was lucky enough to be able to attend Norland College (supposedly) the top one!  The creme de la creme where the rich, the famous and the Royals acquire their nannies (or so they say).

http://www.norland.co.uk/

At the time of my training there were 3 private colleges for nannies and also many public colleges where you could acquire your N.N.E.B. (National Nursery Examination Board).

 'The NNEB is a two-year course and provides students with overall knowledge of children within the newborn to seven age group. Students are taught the physical, intellectual, emotional and social needs of children. Graduates are also trained in first aid and how to interact with parents'

Norland went many steps beyond the NNEB.  In order to call yourself a 'Norland Nanny' you had to not only attain your NNEB but also separate qualifications which included...
The Carrington-Lovedale Pediatric First Aid Course
The Royal Society of Health Essential Food Hygiene  
The 'Norland Diploma' (a separate exam) this included many more hours of practical placement, many more written observations, and many more handmade items than the standard NNEB....... plus we had to complete 9 months probationary work as a nanny in a private home......only after all that are you permitted to call yourself a 'Norland Nanny' which I am proud to say I can!

My graduation photograph 1992

The college in itself is quite an amazing institution, founded in 1892 by Emily Ward. It began in Norland Place in London, survived many years in Hungerford and is now currently located in Bath in a building originally owned by the Duke of York.

When I trained, the college resided in Denford Park, Hungerford, Berkshire (previously a convent) set in a 120 acre park like setting.  Living at the college was mandatory.  In the first term it was required that we live in the main house, this was also where we ate meals, did laundry, had our lectures and where the main offices, day care centres, nursery schools, the Children's Hotel and our common room was.  After a term or two, usually when the new students arrived (there were 2 intakes a year) we would move to the old stables that had been converted into student living, this gave us a little more privacy.  In our final year we could live in Speedwell the building the furthest away from the main house specifically built to house the students in their final terms.

Denford Park built in 1832 housed Norland College from 1967 and 2002

The uniform (purchased only from Harrods) was to be worn 

at all times for lectures and for practical work.

The Norland Uniform

The only time we could wear 'normal' clothes was at the end of the day or weekend (if we weren't working).  If we left the grounds on duty then we had to wear our uniform, even if this meant just popping into the nearest town during lunch to pick up sewing supplies (which we quite often had to do).

What you can't see in this picture are the white gloves, bamboo tights, sensible brown lace up shoes and brown cardigan that were also essential to the properly dressed Norlander, and one mustn't forget the beautiful brown, belted, double breasted, calf length, rain coat for colder weather too.
 

It was also required that your hair was up (preferably in a bun) and under no circumstances was your hair allowed to touch your white collar.  This proved quite a challenge to me with my long bob hairstyle that wasn't short enough to stay off my collar and not really long enough to put into a bun (and how on earth did you put your hair in a bun anyway?).  

Bobby pins!  Tons and tons of Bobby pins!   And God knows where they all went but they seemed to disappear very easily and I always seemed to be buying more.  I came to think that they could potentially be more of a danger when they were missing than any hair on the collar!

A Bobby Pin

" In Africa, Bobby pins are systematically used to repair inoperative sandals"

  A small unknown fact I just found on Wikipedia (don't ask me how...there were no instructions or pictures)

Read part 2 http://textiletrolley.blogspot.com/2012/06/life-at-norland-college-part-2.html