This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Roxanne Ardekani, 28, a student at Norland in Bath, England. Norland is an institution, almost 135 years old, that trains elite nannies for some of the world’s wealthiest families. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I didn’t grow up thinking nannying would be my career, let alone that I’d move to the UK to train for it. I was born and raised in New Orleans. My parents are Iranian, and growing up meant traveling a lot and moving between cultures.
When I was 19, I left the US to study abroad in Innsbruck, Austria. Innsbruck is a sister city of New Orleans, and I was able to do an exchange program there. What was supposed to be temporary turned into something longer. Austria just really fit my lifestyle, and I decided to stay.
Nannying came into my life almost by accident. While I was studying psychology at the University of New Orleans — and later American studies at the University of Innsbruck — I was looking for a side gig. A friend connected me with a family who needed a nanny. I went to the interview, and it was a perfect match.
I remember thinking, “Where has nannying been my whole entire life?”
It brought together everything I loved: working with children, developmental psychology, and being hands-on. What started as a few days a week eventually became full time. It was so rewarding that I continued working with children throughout my time in Austria.
It was around that time I started noticing job listings that mentioned something called a “Norland Nanny.” I had never heard of it. I looked it up and immediately thought, “Oh my gosh, this is Hogwarts for nannies.”
I decided to apply, telling myself I’d roll the dice. If I got accepted, I’d move to the UK. If I didn’t, I’d keep working as a nanny.
I started at Norland in September 2023, and I’m currently in my third year. After I finish my studies and complete my Newly Qualified Nanny year (a probationary paid placement), I’m scheduled to graduate as a qualified Norland Nanny in March 2028.
Why Norland feels different
I’ve studied in the US, Austria, and now the UK. Norland is such a different experience from what I’ve experienced in my previous studies.
Before coming here, I studied psychology at the University of New Orleans, then completed an exchange and later switched fully to the University of Innsbruck, where I finished a degree in American Studies and English. I had been in the academic world for a long time, but it wasn’t until Norland that I realized how different it felt to be guided through the work and to fully understand what I was doing.
The biggest difference at Norland is the level of care and attention to detail. In my previous education, it often felt like you were given an assignment and expected to push through on your own. You aimed for the finish line and hoped you figured things out along the way.
At Norland, the approach is different. The teachers here are like, “Hey, let’s go through this. Let’s make sure you know what you’re doing.”
That shift has been huge for me, especially in my research. We spend a lot of time talking about methodology, data quality, and ethics. We ask whether research is valuable and whether it’s ethical — not just whether it’s finished. That level of care and intention is something I felt was missing in my earlier studies.
Learning by doing
Norland is academically demanding. Our classes are long — about 2.5 hours — and they’re dense with information. They’re also deeply connected to practice.
Alongside coursework, I’m in placements where I work with families in different settings. I’m constantly seeing how my studies in the classroom translate into day-to-day care, and how different families and lifestyles shape the work.
We learn how to communicate with parents. We study child neurology. We talk about self-regulation, learning through play and why play matters for development.
One recent module that really stands out to me focused on entrepreneurship. As a nanny, you’re working under families, but it’s also your own practice. That class made me think differently about the long-term possibilities of this career. It made me think more seriously about what it could look like to build something long-term, or even eventually open my own practice.
The confidence I didn’t expect
The biggest change for me isn’t just what I’ve learned. It’s how I feel. For the first time, I genuinely feel confident in my skills. I know what I’m doing. That feeling motivates me in a way I didn’t expect.
Moving to the UK at 25 felt like a bigger leap than earlier moves. I had friends, a job, and a settled life in Austria. I remember sitting at the airport, UK-bound, with my suitcase thinking, “I don’t know about this.”
When I first arrived at Norland, it was nighttime, and I didn’t recognize anything. I had no phone reception and took a bus before eventually getting an Uber. When I finally reached my room, my roommates opened the door, they hugged me, grabbed my suitcase, and pulled me inside. I didn’t even have time to overthink it. I think of the grand scheme of time, I haven’t been here that long to feel as grounded as I do.
I’m very open to where opportunity takes me. After I graduate, I’m interested in international maternity nursing through the Norland Agency, short-term placements, and eventually starting a business.
What I do know is that this training has changed how I see myself professionally. Norland didn’t just add credentials to my resume. It gave me confidence I didn’t realize I was missing. That’s been just as important as anything I’ve learned in the classroom.
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