Norland University of Early Childhood

Norland University of Early Childhood, based in Bath, is a specialist institution of higher education and the first university to focus solely on early childhood; until September 2026 it was known as Norland College. Emily Ward established it at Norland Place in Kensington in 1892, making it the first establishment to provide formal training in childcare, with methods rooted in Froebel's kindergarten principles. After several relocations, among them spells in Chislehurst and close to Hungerford, it finally made Bath its home.

A BA (Hons) was first offered in 2008. Taught degree awarding powers followed in 2019 and were confirmed indefinitely in 2025, and university title came in 2026, the same year a distance learning MA was launched. Undergraduates combine the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Education and Care with the Norland Diploma. They complete over 1,200 hours of placements across nurseries, schools, family homes and hospitals, then spend a paid year working as a newly qualified nanny. Training extends to practical skills, including tactical driving and self-defence. High-profile families across the globe seek out Norland nannies, and the distinctive uniform, which dates from 1895, is still central to the institution's identity.

Information for International Students

Each year Norland admits a small number of international students and, as a Student sponsor, has an established compliance record. A CAS is issued to eligible applicants requiring a Student visa, and the dedicated Visa Manager supports them through each immigration step, including any Secure English Language Test they may have to sit. Because no international foundation year or pre-sessional English course is advertised, applications go straight to the degree itself.

Norland neither owns halls of residence nor guarantees accommodation. When asked, it helps first-year students secure a room, whether in sourced student apartments in central Bath, in purpose-built student accommodation, or in privately let flats and houses around the city. Tenancies are signed directly with landlords, typically starting in September and lasting 11 months or 51 weeks. Private landlords usually ask for a guarantor who owns a home in the UK, something international families should prepare for well ahead of time. With more than a third of the course spent on placement, students must be ready for frequent practical work in varied settings. Those who complete the BA are eligible to apply for the Graduate Route.