Norland welcomes Wera Hobhouse MP to celebrate its gold-standard higher education
6 November 2023
Principal Dr Janet Rose and Head of Teaching, Learning and Research Dr Rebecca Digby were delighted to welcome Wera Hobhouse, MP for Bath, to Norland to find out more about its Gold award — the highest standard possible — in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).
Alongside a tour of Norland’s Oldfield Park teaching campus, Wera was invited to meet students and observe practical training sessions and degree lectures including Food and Nutrition, Sewing, Leadership in Early Childhood and Research Methodologies.
Norland is one of only a small number of providers in the country to achieve Gold across all three rating categories in the national assessment of undergraduate teaching excellence, run by the Office for Students.
Founded in 1892, Norland is the world’s oldest and most prestigious early childhood education and care training institution. Since 2019 it has awarded its own undergraduate degrees, with student nannies completing a unique four-year degree and integrated practical Norland Diploma programme to earn the coveted professional Norland Nanny title. Norland also offers bursaries and other initiatives for students from under-represented groups, which has led to a more diverse range of students enrolling.
Dr Janet Rose said: “We were honoured to welcome Wera Hobhouse to Norland to see our unique early childhood education degree and practical diploma in action, and to meet with staff and students. We were also delighted to be able to explore with Wera the opportunities that the recognition of graduate nannies as skilled professionals and the regulation of the nanny industry would bring in helping to address the current childcare crisis.”
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, commented:
“Norland College is synonymous with Bath, and for well over 100 years has been teaching the vital skills required to raise children. Increasingly we understand that childcare, a job still mostly done by women, requires hard work, knowledge, and understanding. We should recognise its value.
“Childcare is a major challenge for young families, and especially for working women. If nannying became a legally regulated profession, it would help to assure high-quality and flexible home-based childcare for families across the UK. I will continue to work with Norland to raise this issue in Parliament.”
