THEY are the elite among nannies, the special forces of childcare providers. They will parachute in and create order and calm in the nursery before you can say ‘spit spot’—all while running up a fancy-dress costume from curtains and making shepherd’s pie for tea. It’s why Norlanders have long been the nanny of choice for royalty (the Cambridges have Maria Borrallo and The Princess Royal also employed one), high-net-worth individuals and celebrities such as Sir Mick Jagger.
Echoing that other quintessentially British institution, Eton, any innovation at Norland commands inches of newsprint. ‘Mary Poppins meets James Bond’ was one excitable headline, on the news that students were receiving lessons in self-defence and counter-terrorism. ‘Mary Poppins learns to escape the paparazzi’ was another, after it emerged that skid-pan training had been added to the curriculum.
‘It’s not for escaping the paparazzi!’ exclaims Norland College principal Dr Janet Rose. ‘The skid-pan training is really about driving in icy conditions at the end of a long day, with two fretful children in the back.’ As with all new additions to the course, it’s about giving families confidence, explains Dr Rose. When former military-intelligence officers come into college, it’s to raise students’ awareness of personal security online. ‘Things such as being tech-savvy about the use of social media; not giving away your geographical location,’ Dr Rose divulges.
Norland through the years
1892 Norland Institute is founded in Norland Place, Holland Park, London W11, by Emily Ward. She was an advocate of the ideas of Friedrich Fröbel, inventor of the kindergarten system
1895 The uniform is introduced, supplied by Debenham & Freebody of Kensington
Denne historien er fra December 02, 2020-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra December 02, 2020-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prÞveperiode pÄ Magzter GOLD for Ä fÄ tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century oldâdense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Diorâs last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
