Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

NORLAND- anyone done it? Got a teen thinking about it?

37 replies

HRTeenageMum · 12/09/2023 14:49

DD (Year 11) keen to go to Norland after A-levels. You don't seem to come across as much advice/tips as you do if your teen is thinking of Oxbridge, funnily enough, so wondered if the adviceatron that is the Mumsnet chat had any........

OP posts:

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 22/09/2023 18:38

A little girl who lived next door but one to me growing up became a Norland nanny.

She specialises in looking after children with similar additional needs to her younger sibling, and families who want her bilingual language skills). Bh

OnAFrolicOfMyOwn · 22/09/2023 18:44

Nannies in London on average earn 44k with 1 years experience and after 10 can go up to 74-100k.

Wow, whatever must their employers earn

KittyWithStripes · 23/09/2023 13:44

My friend scored a Norland nanny who was on her first year in the workforce - they’re not allowed to work overseas for the first year otherwise friend would never have been able to afford her! She went on to earn stratospheric amounts, saved a bomb and married a lovely man at 30 and is now raising her own children. Amazing career path for her, always in such high demand. She was bright but not academic, very pretty and sloaney. Also never had to wear the uniform - most of them negotiated that out of their contracts, it was only twats who would insist on the uniform anyway so a good gauge of families to avoid.

KittyWithStripes · 23/09/2023 13:48

gogomoto · 12/09/2023 22:40

I know a young lady just gone into her 3rd year, she's already got job offers from placements but wants to finish then consider. It's a lot of hard work. I see them in bath a lot in their "interesting" uniform (why brown, so ugly, sorry)

many of them work for such high profile/wealthy families… I understand most of them convince their employer families to drop the requirement to wear the uniform as “it could make them a kidnapping target” 😉

ActDottie · 23/09/2023 14:11

One of my best friends is a Norland Nanny. She loves it. And earns amazingly well!!! I know she is the main breadwinner and earns more than her husband. She works two weeks on, two weeks off plus holidays! So could have 6 weeks off at a time.

She also gets to travel a lot to their villa in Spain and also other trips abroad all expenses paid. I think as well she’s been on a super yacht for holidays too which any average person would never experience.

Yea it’s hard cuz the kids put her sole responsibility as the parents are very hands off but if you want a career in childcare this is the best route to go down.

Oooh she also negotiated in her contract to never work Christmas.

She does have a really good deal whereas some can get paid not much money I think once she went for an interview for a position with a celebrity golfer and was told it was minimum wage and that she was supposed to be grateful because of this because of who the golfer is!

But to summarise if you find the right family I think it can work out really well.

Also Bath is a lovely city!

Original poster

HRTeenageMum · 11/10/2023 12:00

Hippyhippybake · 22/09/2023 15:41

Yes very much so, we are very close! I helped her with the whole process. We got in touch with some older Norlanders before we applied.

The most important thing is to convey your genuine enthusiasm for children and a career in childcare and to demonstrate that you really value supporting child development.

It is really important to have some practical experience in hand. Anything from volunteering at Brownies / Guides to work experience in a nursery or school to babysitting. At the interview you have to do a presentation but I think the key is again to display your genuine enthusiasm. I get the sense they are keen to weed out those who are more interested in the private jets and money.

Being up for the academic side is really important too as there are a lot of essays. A level psychology or similar is a huge advantage.

It is also important to show you are up for the discipline.

I went to my niece’s 21st and the Norlanders really were just like any other group of students, lots of drinking, wild dancing and revealing outfits etc. They really are quite a normal bunch despite the uniform!

This has been so helpful @Hippyhippybake . We attended the Open Day this weekend and I see what you mean about enthusiasm for childcare. My daughter has that in spades, so I think it is definitely going to be her goal to get in.

OP posts:

Nokoolaidherethanks · 11/10/2023 13:28

My DD is super keen. She's absolutely committed to working with small children and is brilliant at it so it figures she would rather earn big bucks not pennies.

TheLuckyOnes · 11/10/2023 16:12

Hippyhippybake · 22/09/2023 12:28

They do not work 24/ 7 and nor is there total compliance. Many if not most live in their own separate accommodation. Unlike many other female dominated careers Norlanders hold a great deal of power. I think there is something like 6 jobs for every Norlander so they are able to pick and choose.

I agree through, the uniform and strict rules are probably to weed those out who aren’t willing to meet the high standards and if you are naturally rebellious then being a Norlander probably isn’t for you. But of course this applies to a large number of careers, for both men and women.

I'd disagree with that -- when I lived in the ME I certainly saw some British nannies, not all Norlanders, who had essentially signed over their lives to their employers. Absolutely they had luxury accommodation, chefs cooking their meals, servants cleaning their rooms and doing their laundry, but for that, and the enormous salary, they needed to be ultra-flexible, on call all the time, prepared to drop agreed leave at a moment's notice and hop on a plane to the other side of the world, managing a team of other nannies/tutors/other staff.

There was someone who used to post on here -- I don't think she was a Norlander, but she was quite upfront about the demands of working for UHNW families.

Hippyhippybake · 11/10/2023 16:20

@HRTeenageMum glad to hear it was a success! Feel free to ask anything else.

@TheLuckyOnes as I understand it there are very few Norlanders working in the Middle East permanently. There are at least 6 jobs for every graduate so they can pick and choose. The Norland agency doesn’t allow for contracts of a normal working week over 60 hours a week.

gotomomo · 11/10/2023 16:33

Just to add that the trainees are all lovely. I've been involved with them on a few projects and what a lovely bunch of young ladies but I'm not sure i could cope with that uniform

Lilacdressinggown · 11/10/2023 22:32

The uniform is brown because of the war- it used to be blue but all the blue cloth/dye had to go to the forces. They are thinking if changing it back.
Being a Norland Nanny is long hours and complete dedication to your charges and their family - there is a quote about it being like giving your life to God!

Teddleshon · 12/10/2023 08:16

They work a maximum of 60 hours a week so not that different to other highly paid professional jobs.

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread