About Cotswold Angel

About Sonia Hiley

At a glance:

  • Thirty-two years of experience working with children
  • Extensive experience with learning difficulties and disabilities
  • Enhanced CRB
  • Paediatric First Aid
  • Ofsted Registered
  • Member of National Childminding Association
  • Public Liability insurance
  • Driving license with Business Class insurance

For the past thirty-two years, I worked within the Special Educational Needs sector for three national charities including Action for Children, MacIntyre Care and the National Star College, Cheltenham.

I joined Penhurst School, Action for Children, in 1980 to work with children and young adults with learning difficulties and disabilities. Whilst there, I was employed in a variety of roles including Residential Social Worker, Deputy House Manager, Physiotherapy Assistant and after re-training to teach in 2002 through the University of Warwick, as a Qualified Further Education Tutor. In addition to teaching at Penhurst, I successfully developed a number of projects to cater for the rising numbers of young adults enrolled, including two distinct Adult Learning Provisions for students aged 16 – 19 and 18 – 25 and an ‘Aiming High for Disabled Children’ initiative, in conjunction with Oxfordshire County Council.

Following my association with Action for Children, I was appointed Tutor and Unit Manager for MacIntyre Abingdon Partnership College to support staff through an Ofsted inspection. The educational provision offered to the young Autistic adults within this unit, and to those with learning difficulties and disabilities across the wider Abingdon College campus, was awarded an ‘Outstanding’ grade.

I then worked as Senior Tutor at the National Star College to develop a new provision for young adults with profound and multiple learning difficulties and disabilities. My brief was to structure an educational programme which complemented the existing provision and to raise the profile of this new student group within the college community; in working with a multi-disciplinary team of therapists and a committed staff team, this was successfully achieved and the new provision established.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of developing new provisions, managing classes and staff teams, and implementing legislative policies and systems during my teaching career, I recently decided to become self-employed and form my own company, Cotswold Angel. This offers a range of services to busy families who may need help with childcare, the home or an ageing relative. I am registered with Ofsted and am a member of the National Childminding Association (NCMA). I have current Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Paediatric First Aid certificates. I also have a full driving license without incurred penalties and motor insurance which includes extended personal injury cover for passengers.

I enlist several professional colleagues with similar childcare experience, qualifications and CRB clearance when Cotswold Angel bookings are high.

“My children, now almost six and eight years of age, eagerly anticipate Sonia’s visits as she continues to offer us both evening and, on occasion, daytime care. Her personal skills, coupled with her unquestionable professional qualifications and experience, mean that she is a unique candidate.”
Lisa Ironmonger, Parent

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