“ Children need to feel that they are valued and that they have value to add. In early childhood, this begins through everyday experiences: being noticed, comforted, listened to, relied on, and welcomed as a meaningful member of a community.”
MANDY EDMOND, VP, HEAD OF ENTERPRISE & STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, NORLAND
Sadly, early childhood is still not always treated as the
priority it should be in every part of the world. However, in the GCC, (Gulf Cooperation Council – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman) we are seeing a very strong commitment to improving experiences for young children and families. Countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE are showing real ambition to embrace the latest thinking in early childhood education and care, and to invest in quality, training and professional standards. That creates a natural alignment with Norland’s
mission. We see significant potential to work with partners in the GCC and beyond to support early years provision, strengthen the workforce and help create environments where young children can thrive. Our focus is not simply on exporting a model, but on working collaboratively with local partners to share expertise, build capacity and respond to the needs of children and families in each region.
42
In what ways does Norland offer a more personalised education? And how does it balance evidence-based approaches with the individual learning needs of children? Norland’s programmes are always a combination of academic study and highly practical, skills-based training. Students are not just taught theory in the abstract; they apply it through placements, diploma training, reflection and a fourth year as a Newly Qualified Nanny. Our model is a blend of degree-level study, the Norland diploma and hands-on experience, with teaching methods designed to suit different learning styles and tailored student support. That personalised approach carries through into how
Norland prepares students to work with children. Rather than applying one fixed method to every child, students are taught to observe, understand context and culture, and respond to the individual child in front of them. The balance comes from using evidence as a
foundation, not a script. For example, Norland’s self- regulation teaching draws on theory, research and neuroscientific evidence, while also emphasising the adult’s role as a co-regulator within the child’s wider ecosystem. In practice, that means Norlanders are trained to use research-informed approaches, but to adapt them sensitively: to a child’s temperament, stage of development, family culture, routines, needs and lived experience. Evidence guides the work but the individual child shapes how it is applied.
Screen time, cognitive offloading and security online are all concerns in education. What’s Norland’s view on digital tools, apps and AI for early years? Norland’s view is that digital tools, apps and AI should never replace relationships, play, movement, interactions or first-hand experience in the early years.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48
