Norland granted university status to become the world’s first university dedicated to early childhood
7 July 2026
Following assessment and approval by the Office for Students, TEF Gold-rated Norland College will become Norland University of Early Childhood on 7 September 2026.
Norland, the world-renowned institution for early childhood education and care, is delighted to announce that it has successfully achieved university title following assessment and approval by the Office for Students.
The Bath-based specialist higher education provider will become Norland University of Early Childhood on 7 September 2026 – the world’s first university dedicated to early childhood. The milestone comes in Norland’s 135th year and will strengthen its ability to lead education, research and professional practice in a field fundamental to children’s futures and to the wellbeing of families and society.
Founded in 1892 by education pioneer Emily Ward, Norland was the first institution in the world to provide childcare education and training, establishing the early years education and care profession. University title represents the next chapter in that pioneering mission, recognising both Norland’s longstanding contribution to early childhood education and care and the growing importance of early childhood as an area of study, research and professional practice.
Read the Office for Students' report
Early childhood is the most critical period in human development, shaping future learning, wellbeing, health, relationships and life chances. At a time when childhood is attracting increasing attention from policymakers, educators, employers, researchers and communities across the world, Norland’s achievement of university status not only reflects the wider recognition that investment in the early years has the greatest long-term impact – for children, families and society – but also elevates the status and value of those working with children in their earliest years.
Undergraduate students study the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Education and Care degree alongside the prestigious skills-based Norland Diploma, completing more than 1,200 hours of placements across settings including schools, nurseries, hospitals, specialist settings and family homes. Their training culminates in a final fourth year in paid employment, sourced and supported by Norland, to complete the diploma and earn the professional title Norland Nanny, or Norlander. This distinctive approach gives graduates a clear route into high-skilled employment and offers the wider higher education sector a compelling model for connecting knowledge, skills and professional readiness.
University title will strengthen Norland’s ability to generate and share knowledge, conduct research, collaborate with partners, convene sector conversations and contribute to professional standards – extending its influence beyond the individuals and families directly supported by Norlanders. Through education, research, professional development, specialist training and international consultancy, Norland will be able to shape wider thinking and practice across early childhood education and care, supporting better outcomes for children, families and communities.
Norland’s model is a powerful example of what career-focused higher education can achieve when academic excellence is fully integrated with professional training, practical skill development and meaningful workplace experience. It does not simply prepare students to understand early childhood education and care in theory – it equips them to practise it with confidence and skilled expertise from the moment they graduate.
Dr Janet Rose, Principal of Norland, said: “Achieving university title is a landmark moment for Norland and for the field of early childhood education and care. Becoming Norland University of Early Childhood strengthens our ability to advance research, connect knowledge and skills with practice, extend our influence on policy and professional standards, and help shape the future of early childhood for generations to come.”
Alex Proudfoot, Chief Executive of Independent Higher Education (IHE), the UK membership organisation and national representative body for independent providers of higher education, professional training and pathways, of which Norland is a member, said: “Norland has long been an inspiration to other independent higher education providers in its unflinching dedication to a pioneering mission. As the UK’s newest university it will light an even brighter beacon for specialist education, showing the world all that is possible when academic rigour meets professional excellence to realise the potential of every student.”
Norland’s achievement follows a series of significant milestones. It has held degree awarding powers since 2019, which were made indefinite in 2025, and has achieved three successive Gold ratings – the highest standard possible – in the national Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). In the most recent 2023 assessment, Norland was rated Gold in all aspects, placing it in the top 12% of providers in the country alongside universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. Its sector-leading reputation is further reflected in six Whatuni Student Choice Awards, including being named the UK’s Specialist Institution of the Year in 2026, 2025, 2024 and 2023. Norland received a Highly Commended honour in the Times Higher Education Awards’ Specialist Institution of the Year category in 2025. Norland is also home to the world’s first specialist research centre and research journal focused on home-based early childhood education and care, reinforcing its role as a global leader in the study and professional practice of early childhood.
In September 2026, Norland will also launch its new MA programme, creating its first postgraduate offer for professionals seeking to develop specialist expertise and leadership in early childhood education and care. Designed for educators, practitioners, leaders and policy makers, this innovative postgraduate programme will enable students to build specialist knowledge in supporting behaviour, food and nutrition, sleep and home-based pedagogy and care, enabling them to shape practice with evidence-informed insight.
The change of name to Norland University of Early Childhood will take effect on 7 September 2026.
1,265 hours
are spent on placement while studying at Norland, making up around 35% of the course
12 months
are spent in paid full-time employment as a Newly Qualified Nanny after graduating from the BA degree
100%
employment opportunities are offered to fully qualified Norlanders through the Norland Agency
£1.35 million
has been awarded in bursaries in the past five years by Norland, providing around one in four students (25%) with financial support
Browse our blog and latest news
