What is a Midday Supervisor?
Understanding the role of a Midday Supervisor
A Midday Supervisor (or Lunchtime Supervisor, Lunch Assistant, or Playground Assistant) supports children during lunch and breaktimes in schools. While their role may seem simple on the surface, they are often key adults in a child’s school day – especially for those
who find unstructured times challenging.
A midday supervisor told us about their role – this is what they said:
What does a Midday Supervisor do?
They may:
Oversee children in the dining hall and playground.
Be the adult a child turns to when breaktimes feel overwhelming.
Support children in resolving social issues of emotional distress.
Offer 1:1 support for children with SEND or EHCPs.
Supervise structured games or provide calm spaces.
What qualifications do they have?
Midday Supervisors usually receive on-the-job training in:
Safeguarding
Behaviour support
First aid
Basic SEND awareness
Midday Supervisors usually receive on-the-job training in:
How can a Midday Supervisor support a PDAer?
They might:
Some have additional training in autism, sensory processing, or PDA.
What adaptations can Midday Supervisors make for PDAers?
They may:
Offer structured choices to reduce anxiety about what to do
Create low-demand zones (e.g. a quiet room, sensory area)
Support communication using non-verbal methods
Allow autonomy in whether the child eats, plays, or takes a break
De-escalate using a calm and relational approach, 
not control
Why are Midday Supervisors important?
For PDAers, lunchtime may be the hardest part of the day. Midday Supervisors told us that they are sometimes seen as ‘just watching the playground’ when in reality: Â
They manage complex behaviour, safety, emotional wellbeing,
and social dynamics
They act as first responders to incidents
Their presence can prevent or de-escalate crises
They are vital to school functioning and child welfare
Where did this information come from?
PDAers and their families often tell us how confusing and unsettling it can be to meet new professionals - especially when it's not clear what their job is or what good support looks like. That’s why we asked professionals themselves to tell us, in their own words, what they do. You’ll find their honest, personal answers in the ‘What professionals do’ section of our site.
This is a growing resource, so if you don’t see the role you’re looking for yet, you could ask the person you're working with to fill in this short form.