Debbie Kilbride

Debbie Kilbride serves as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Education within the School of Childhood and Social Care at the University of East London. She is also the Programme Leader for the PG Certificate in Special Educational Needs, leading to the NASENCo Award.

With 17 years of professional experience in Primary Schools and Early Years settings across Essex, Kilbride has held significant roles including class teacher, Assistant Headteacher, and SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator). She previously served as a Lead SENCO for NASEN, conducting training sessions for other SENCOs and Senior Leadership Teams across multiple counties.

Her research focuses on special educational needs, particularly examining the strategic aspects of the SENCo role and the management of education and health care plans in the post-pandemic educational landscape. Kilbride's work bridges practical classroom experience with academic research to address contemporary challenges in inclusive education.

Her recent publication in the British Journal of Special Education demonstrates her expertise in analyzing how SENCOs navigate the complex intersection of education, health, and policy since the Covid-19 pandemic. This work contributes to understanding evolving leadership roles in special educational provision.

As an educator, Kilbride draws on her extensive practical background in Primary Education to inform her teaching approach. Her BA (Hons) in Special Education provides the academic foundation for her current work developing future specialists in the field through the PG Certificate program.

Based in office ED.1.09, Kilbride maintains an active research profile with growing engagement as evidenced by the metrics associated with her publication (203 total views, 59 total downloads).