Previous research by the authors of this piece hinted at the heavy workload of Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCos) within settings in England, and their ever-mounting challenges in the context of reduced local government services and cuts in funding to schools for their children with Special Educational Needs. As a result of these…

In this article, Special Educational Needs Coordinators' (SENCOs) boundary work in Swedish upper-secondary school is examined in comparison with similar special education professionals in a Nordic context. Here, boundary work is understood as SENCOs' attempts to shape and influence boundaries, distinctions and demarcations between agents and…

This article investigates the roles of special education needs co-ordinators (SENCos) in the implementation of inclusive education (IE) in Ghana. The mixed-methods approach, specifically the convergent design, was adopted. Seventy-three SENCos responded to a questionnaire, and 15 SENCos were interviewed. The census approach was used for selecting…

International recognition of Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCos) as agents of change for students with special educational needs calls for a deeper understanding of SENCo agency. However, literature on teacher agency for inclusion has paid little attention to SENCos. Taking a sociocultural view of agency, this qualitative case study…

This research identifies new approaches to education health and care plan (EHCP) provision since the start of the COVID-19 (C-19) pandemic (March 2020 to March 2021). This qualitative research was conducted after the C-19 pandemic and used online questionnaires to identify the perceptions of 64 SENCos recruited from mainstream primary and…

The UK government is proposing to replace M-level national award for special educational needs co-ordination training, mandated for SENCos in England, with an unaccredited national professional qualification. Such downgrading of their qualification level is intended to significantly increase the number of qualified SENCos; however, this is likely…

The aims of the study were: to identify the number of SENCOs who have received specific training on sensory integration. To determine the understanding of the eight senses and sensory integration theory and sensory strategies. Determine any common gaps in knowledge or misconceptions. Fifty-five surveys were completed. 40% of respondents had…

In an increasing number of countries, the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) plays a key role in implementing inclusive provision for students with special educational needs. Existing literature on SENCos mainly focuses on the nature and enactment of the role, with few investigating SENCo identities. Hence, the study presented in this…

As society has gotten increasingly digitalized, schools have made extensive efforts to accommodate to that development. With the digitalization of school, the special education practice and the roles of special education needs coordinators (SENCOs) and special education teachers (SETs) change. However, there is a lack of research examining this…

This article examines the role of the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) in primary schools in Ireland, an area that is under researched with little or no empirical data available. The current qualitative study, congruent with an interpretivist paradigm, provides narratives from four SENCOs offering insight into both the operational and…

The 2022 Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Review in England has proposed changes to the way in which SENCos are trained before working in English schools. Although the DfE collects data relating to the demographics of all teachers, the 2022 SEND Review Green Paper does not draw on this to support or inform the changes being…

Early identification of social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties (SEBDs) in children is essential to provide support and reduce the risk of negative outcomes. Schools are considered ideal settings to identify SEBDs, and in many countries special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) play a pivotal role in this respect. Although SENCOs may…

A national survey of Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs) in England was conducted during the summer of 2020 in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The annually conducted survey typically collates demographic data about the SENCO workforce, but given the wider context, this particular survey also included nine questions about…

Through a narrative informed study, using concept drawing, ten newly appointed primary school Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs) drawn from across three Local Authority areas at the start of their compulsory training, reflect upon and share their experiences at this early point in their SENCO career. Their experiences reveal that they…

In schools, the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) could be considered a key policy implementer of special educational needs and inclusive policy. Issues related to time, status and the effective facilitation of the SENCO role have been reported on extensively, yet literature has predominantly focused on the role prior to the…