"It's just a lunchtime supervisor...No it's not!"

: A reflexive thematic analysis exploring experiences of lunchtime staff in primary schools.

Abstract

Lunchtimes in English primary schools offer time for children to eat, rest and play, under lunchtime supervisors’ guidance. A literature review highlighted the supervisory role as complex, yet few studies, particularly in the last 15 years, explored supervisors’ experiences. None considered the role and views of supervisors in relation to supporting children with SEND.

This research therefore explored the experiences and perspectives of lunchtime supervisors in mainstream English primary schools, including their experiences working with children who have SEND. Through online interviews and a questionnaire, the views of 66 lunchtime supervisors were collected and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Quantitative data including demographics and role characteristics were reviewed descriptively.

Two overarching themes were identified. The 'adult micro-climate of lunchtimes' highlighted lunchtime supervisors’ adult-centred experiences including school organisation, policies and managing behaviour. The complexities of holding additional school roles, supervisors’ status and autonomy were considered. The second overarching theme, 'the story of lunchtimes has children at the heart' described supervisors’ child-centred values including their care for children and interest in enabling free play and independence. Supervisors felt they contributed to children’s development and demonstrated adaptive practice for children with SEND.

Key findings were explored using bioecological theory, generating systemic recommendations, such as that schools evaluate their support of supervisors, hearing their views to create practical policies for SEND-support and staff wellbeing. EPs are encouraged to offer systemic guidance focused on lunchtimes and include supervisors’ views when assessing children. Developing accessible training and induction programmes for supervisors (and their schools) including aspects of behaviour and SEND is needed. All parties are actively encouraged to question the withdrawal of play as a sanction and use these systemic recommendations to support development of alternative approaches. Lastly, recommendations for policy include increasing the status of lunchtimes and the supervisor role.

Date of Award	17 Mar 2026
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bristol
Supervisor	Dan P O'Hare (Supervisor) & Mary Stanley-Duke (Supervisor)