“I have become part of so many families’ stories” – Alice's Story
19 November 2025
Third-year student Alice, Set 147, is a mature student whose experience as an au pair led her to discover Norland and her passion for working with children. After taking part in our recent film — More than a degree. More than a job. More than you imagined.— Alice reflects on how the Norland course has aligned with both her ambitions and her passions, as well as the highlights of her training so far.
“My name is Alice, I’m from North Yorkshire, and I am in my third year at Norland. I am a mature student and didn’t come to Norland straight from school. Before Norland, I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to do with my life. When I started volunteering at a local art club, I realised I had a passion for working with children. I loved the experience, from supporting the children to feel confident in their abilities to encouraging them to have fun simply creating.
“Buoyed by this experience, I au paired for a few months in Stockholm, Sweden. This was a great opportunity that solidified my interest in working with children and led me to discover that I particularly enjoyed caring for them in the home environment.
“I first heard about Norland through a YouTube video about the training, which intrigued me. I knew by this point that I wanted to work with children, and I had loved sewing and cooking all my life, so the course at Norland seemed ideal. I went straight onto the Norland website where, with each new thing I saw, I got more excited. I also liked that all the coursework was practically assessed, rather than exam based. While I do love the academic side of my studies, I am not an exam person. I booked onto an open day and began working on a plan to ensure I could attend Norland.
“I left school without doing A-levels, so I needed to get a Level 3 qualification before coming to Norland. I decided to do an Access to Higher Education diploma in social work. This was an online course which provided a complementary knowledge base for what we learn at Norland. Once I started the course, I applied to Norland through UCAS, had my interview, and was offered a place.
“During my three years so far, I have really enjoyed the camaraderie and opportunity to share knowledge with my friends at Norland. Because we all want the same career, we encourage each other’s passion and confidence. The friends I have met through Norland are invaluable to me, and I am so grateful that I have them.
“Through Norland, I really love that I get to have both lecture-based academic as well as practical learning. I cherish both and would not want to sacrifice either as I feel they complement each other so well. I particularly love that so many Norlanders come back to teach and work at Norland. All the staff are such great resources, but it is so fantastic to be taught and supported by people that have ‘been there, done that’.
“One highlight of my Norland journey so far has been being elected as Student Engagement Representative for my second and third years. I really like being able to play a part in ensuring that all students have a voice and are listened to. I feel like my set trust me to represent them, which makes me really proud. Another highlight has been our sewing modules. I made a ‘life cycle of the frog’ wall hanging in second year that I worked really hard on, and I am looking forward to our third-year projects and seeing how they turn out.
“Looking to the future, I am really excited to have so many career possibilities. Being a Norland Nanny provides me a wealth of opportunities as to where and what families I could work with. It will also give me a set of transferable skills, should I ever wish to switch career. More than anything, I want to make a difference to families’ lives every day!
“As a nanny, I get to support and witness such important parts of children’s and families’ lives. Even through the placements I have completed so far, I have become part of so many families’ stories – something that’s so special to me and unique to the role of a nanny. I love seeing the children develop and flourish, and I also value the fact that parents can feel confident that with me their precious children are safe, happy and taken care of until they are able to be with them again. That’s a real honour.”
Watch Alice in our new film – More than a degree. More than a job. More than you imagined.
