Norland Nanny of the Year Sophie shares her career and what it means to win the prestigious award
12 November 2024
For Sophie, training at Norland solidified her love for nannying and allowed her to gain the knowledge and community that have supported her in her career so far.
As Norland Nanny of the Year 2023, Sophie discusses how she puts her passion for the children she works with into practice and shares her highlights of being a Norlander.
“My name is Sophie, known to my charges as Sie Sie or Sassy. Prior to starting Norland, I completed A levels in History, Music and Film Studies in Bradford on Avon, close to Bath.
“Even though I was born in Bath and only lived about ten miles away from Norland, I didn’t really know much about it. My family and I would see the Norland gates as we drove into Bath, but little did I know that Norland would change my life forever.
“In the wake of finishing my A levels, I was unsure of where I wanted to take my career. I knew I didn’t want an office job. Both my parents worked on large, family-run country estates and I grew up seeing the dedication, loyalty and love they put into their work. I wanted something I could be passionate about in a similar way.
“While I had always enjoyed babysitting or looking after children on the weekend, I didn’t really see it as a job opportunity. That was until I met a Norland Nanny. Jane (Set 47) – known as Champy – mentioned Norland and the job opportunities and adventures that her career had offered. It sounded incredible.
“No other university provides you with the knowledge and experience we gained through our time at Norland.”
“After a Google and a chat with my parents, I applied. As the intake was so low, I was convinced I wouldn’t be chosen and my back up was a childcare course in a local college. With my A level results in my hand, in the car park of my secondary school, I rang Norland who gave me the green light to join. I was overcome with joy and the rest, as they say, is history.
“When I look back to my time at Norland, I first think of the fun I had and the friends I’ve made, but I also think of why I joined.
“Norland sold itself to me for being incredibly practical. As a kinaesthetic learner, this was extremely important to me. I thrive on doing and learning through experience rather than sitting in lectures. Notwithstanding the fact, I knew at the time I would have to sit in lectures and complete coursework, the scales ultimately tipped in my favour with the practical side.
“With our practical skills modules I learnt a lot, particularly with babies, religiously carrying out best practice and implementing those skills. I was a capable cook and sewer before Norland, but there was always room for improvement and gaining extra knowledge along the way.
“The placements gave me a good idea that nannying was the right job for me. Although I enjoyed being with the children in the nurseries and primary schools, those environments were not for me. While I gained invaluable experience from those placements, I thrived in family homes. I also loved my weeks on the maternity ward. There’s something so personal and precious about being with a parent and their child that when they hand you the reins you know your job is even more imperative.
“Another benefit we get as Norlanders is the access to lecturers, the agency and the Norland network. Their experience and knowledge is invaluable.”
“In writing this, I tried to see what previous Norland Nanny of the Years have written about their training at Norland. They all say the same thing – unique. There is no other word that matches our training; I checked the thesaurus! No other university provides you with the knowledge and experience we gained through our time at Norland. You don’t walk out of those doors with just your degree and Norland diploma, you walk out full of unparalleled knowledge and all you need for your first job and beyond, as well as a great sense of accomplishment.
“After qualifying in 2014 and joining the Norland Agency, I have only had two jobs in my nearly 10 years of nannying. My first job was for a family with one 18-month-old boy, who had a sister a year later, and I was with the family for just shy of three years. I began my second and current role when my charge was four months old, and I’m still here seven years later!
“I don’t think I could pinpoint my favourite part about being a Norland Nanny, there are so many. The friends I’ve made for life hold a huge part of why I love being a Norlander. There are five of us from my set who are still just as close today as we were when we first graduated. I’ve made other Norlander friends from many different sets, 31, 35, 37, 38 and 47 (the first time round!) while working. We instantly get on because we’ve had the same meticulous training and I know I have a friend for life in them.
“Another highlight for me are the names given to me by my charges. For me, this seems almost like a ‘nanny christening’. There is something very special about a little one who cannot pronounce your name properly, so it comes out as something else. The names Sie Sie and Sassy, which I have been given by my charges, I will treasure forever. These names are incredibly personal to me. I feel that, without Norland, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to be given them.
“Another benefit we get as Norlanders is the access to lecturers, the agency and the Norland network. Their experience and knowledge is invaluable. The Norlander Facebook group is a valuable resource at any Norlander’s fingertips. It is a tool I have used many times when I’m in conundrum with my charges and am not sure what to do. To be able to ask other Norlanders is far better than looking something up in a book. Through this, we can access firsthand experience from Norlanders who have been through the exact same thing and found a solution.
“Travel has always been a huge part of my life, so to be able to experience that through work has been a huge bonus.”
“My (nearly) 10 years as a nanny has flown by. I can remember being at college like it was yesterday. Both roles I have had so far, have been through the Norland Agency. Both in London and only a stone’s throw from each other too!
“The first role I had was in Chelsea, right next to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. Having lived in the quiet countryside all my life, I was fortunate that it took only a short time to adjust to the ambulance sirens!
“My second, and current, job is just over the river in Battersea, close to the park. I didn’t think I’d love London as much as I do now. When I first started looking for jobs, I searched for country houses and quiet places. London was a huge change for me and I’m so pleased I made the leap, because now I call London my home.
“I have been very fortunate to travel to some amazing parts of the world with my work. Spain, Greece, Italy, South of France, America, South Africa, Switzerland, Mauritius, Zimbabwe and St Lucia to name a few. Travel has always been a huge part of my life, so to be able to experience that through work has been a huge bonus.
“I love to take my charges swimming, not only a life skill to have but also a personal passion which I can share with them. My current charge and I love swimming in the Mediterranean Sea. We play mermaids, dolphins and turtles and it takes me right back to my childhood, although the sea temperature is quite a bit different! One of my favourite experiences with my current charge was in St Lucia, we were snorkeling in fairly deep water, and I felt incredibly proud that she had no fear, and we saw turtles. Being a confident swimmer, she was able to keep up with me and a turtle for at least 10 minutes. This is something I am very proud of, and I will hold dear in our treasured memories together
“Norland is so much more than a nanny school. It’s a pathway to incredible friendships, knowledge and endless possibilities with your career.”
“It was a complete shock winning Norland Nanny of the Year. Even now, I still can’t believe it. Winning the award means the world to me. It is an honour to have won, especially as I’m sure the other entries would have been so deserving of it too. For my employers to have put me forward, I feel enormously valued, cherished and grateful. Without them, I obviously wouldn’t have won Norland Nanny of the Year, but I also wouldn’t have got to look after their incredibly special little girl. My employers, friends and family have been so kind with their congratulations. I feel very lucky to have such supportive people around me.
“My current job is a highlight of my career. I cannot imagine there will be anything to top it. I’ve looked after my charge since she was 4 months old and I’m still here now seven years later. Watching her grow has been a great privilege and I truly feel part of the family.
“Before my charge was born, I had a call with my, then, potential employers and they sounded like wonderful, loving, kind people – and they were. When I went for my first interview and walked through the door, I knew instantly they were the right family for me, and I haven’t looked back since.
“My charge is a kind, caring and enthusiastic little girl. Currently, she is obsessed with Harry Potter, so we’ve had good use out of a Hermonie costume for Halloween, World Book Day and her Harry Potter themed birthday party. She loves to swim, ride ponies and has an admirable passion for nature and the environment, all of which I’d like to think I have influenced. I often find her looking under rocks for Gaw Gaw’s (pronounced hawhaw – a Xhosa word for creepy crawly that we use within the family as her parents were raised in Zimbabwe and Cape Town), in a pond looking for tadpoles or frogs, or hunting for lizards when in a warmer climate. Nothing phases her in the natural world and I’m so proud of who she is becoming.
“If you’re reading this and are considering Norland. Just go for it. I haven’t met a single Norlander who regrets it. You get so much from it. You have a job for life. You can go down so many different career paths afterwards, it doesn’t have to be a nanny. Norland is so much more than a nanny school. It’s a pathway to incredible friendships, knowledge and endless possibilities with your career. I always look forward to a Monday, how many people can honestly say that?”
Read our interviews with previous Norland Nanny of the Year award winners and find out more about the wide variety of careers our graduates pursue in our career pathway blogs.
