Firefighting marginalisation: the lived experiences of the primary special educational needs coordinator under lockdown measures in England

Research from the COVID-19 pandemic raised concerns for the Special Educational Need Coordinator’s (SENCo) ability to continue advocating for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) when the educational climate was risking further focus on performativity. This study aimed to gain a greater understanding of the lifeworld of a SENCo, how they enacted the role, and the challenges they faced in the prevailing pandemic measures. It explored their efforts to challenge exacerbated inequalities faced by the children and families in their care. Using a small-scale phenomenological approach, diary entries and interviews of four primary school SENCos were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The findings illustrated the multi-faceted nature of the role of the SENCo and the influences that impacted their work in the context of English lockdown measures. During the crisis, the advocacy role of the SENCo was brought into sharp relief as the research findings reflected a prioritisation for maintaining an inclusive school ethos while supporting pupils and their families who were at risk of greater marginalization. This study illuminated the frictions SENCos felt against ideologies of governmentality and performativity as the pressure to make up for lost time weighed down heavily on schools, staff, and pupils.