Value-added curriculum

Forest school

While studying at Norland, you’ll spend a day at forest school creating and developing a range of activities for children of various ages. These experiential activities are important for developing reflective practice.

Self-defence training

You’ll receive self-defence training led by a highly respected 7th-degree black belt in tae kwon do. You’ll attend a three-hour workshop in self-defence early on in your training. You’ll attend a second self-defence class during Employment Weeks as a refresher and to learn how to protect your charges in buggies and prams or while walking.

Norland diploma activity day

Towards the end of your first year of study, you will have the opportunity to visit the Victoria and Albert, Natural History and Science museums in London. This trip is carefully designed to provide an opportunity for you to apply knowledge that you have gained during your studies to practice through exploration and consideration of the learning opportunities museums and galleries offer young children and families. In your second year, you will attend The Baby Show to enable you to explore and keep abreast of the range parent and baby products, services and advice that is on offer to parents and carers. This trip is linked to your practical study on the Norland Diploma.

Skid pan driving

You’ll undertake skid pan driving in your final year during Employment Weeks to learn how to control a car under any circumstances, including adverse weather conditions, handling distractions from children in the vehicle and other potential hazards and risks.

Makaton

Whilst studying diversity and inclusion in your first year, you will have the opportunity to learn about how you might use Makaton to support young children’s communication. Makaton uses symbols, signs and speech to support the development of essential communication skills such as attention and listening, comprehension, memory, recall and organisation of language and expression. To aid your understanding and support your development of skills in this area, you will work alongside a highly experienced Makaton tutor to explore how a range of signs and symbols might be applied in practice.

Brazelton

During your second year, you will work with experts from the Brazelton Centre UK to develop your knowledge and understanding of ways in which you can support healthy parent-baby relationships through promoting an understanding of newborn babies’ communication. Brazelton is a renowned approach which focuses on the social, interactive capabilities of the baby and their unique characteristics to understand newborn behaviours. Learning about ways in which you might understand newborn behaviours will deepen and enrich your practice as a Norland Nanny and ensure that you are well positioned to effectively support parents and carers.

Infant massage workshop

During Employment Weeks, you’ll attend an infant massage workshop focused on connection, communication and closeness. Exploring the origins of this worldwide practice and learning about the benefits of using infant massage on babies and infants, you’ll gain a deep insight into how baby massage promotes positive nurturing touch and beneficial connections between parent/caregiver and child. You’ll learn how this ancient art connects deeply with infants, helping you to understand their non-verbal language and respond with love and respectful listening, empowering you as a caregiver.

Guest lectures

Guest lecturers are regularly welcomed to Norland to share their expert knowledge and experience in a range of fields. The programme is updated each year to ensure you have access to the very latest early years research and expertise throughout your three years of training. Recent guest lectures include anti-discriminatory practice and physical development masterclasses.