Meet Alice: our Norland Nanny open day speaker

What did you do prior to Norland?

Prior to starting at Norland, I studied psychology at university for a year but soon discovered I didn’t feel passionate about it. I left and moved to the US with my parents, and whilst living there I started nannying for three girls and very quickly realised I had found my calling! I spent a year nannying for the three girls before moving back to the UK to start my training in Norland.

What did you enjoy most about studying at Norland?

There are many things I enjoyed during my time at Norland. But one thing that sticks out the most is the sense of community from both the students and lecturers. Having experienced life at a ‘traditional’ university, I was very aware of the difference between being one of thousands of students and one of a few hundred. This feeling of community and support is something that lasts well beyond your time there!

What were you most worried about before starting? What advice would you give to someone who has that worry now?

My main worry was keeping up with the academic side of Norland whilst also juggling placements, work and a social life. It can seem daunting at first, but my advice would be to manage your time wisely and break it down in to more manageable chunks. Going back to the sense of community being one of the best things about studying at Norland, there are always lecturers around who are happy to help, and other students studying in the library or in the common room who you can chat with during a study break.

What have you done since qualifying as a Norlander and what are you doing now?

Since qualifying at Norland, I stayed with my Newly Qualified Nanny (NQN) family for four years, living and working in London. I then relocated to Los Angeles to work for my current nanny family to support them in their move to the UK the following year. I feel very fortunate that both my jobs since graduating have enabled me to travel extensively and experience things I never thought I would!

What do you love most about nannying?

I was asked this question recently by my auntie, and I’ll respond the same way I did to her. There are so many parts of nannying that I love but I would have to say the best part is getting to hang out with my best friends all day (yes, they are usually under the age of five). But even on the more challenging days they make me laugh, give me so much love and make every day different and special in its own way.