Who are educational psychologists?

Educational psychologists (EPs) are professionals with a degree in psychology and specialist training in educational psychology. They assess children's learning, cognitive abilities, special educational needs, and provide recommendations for support. In the context of EHCPs, an EP assessment is often the most important professional input - the LA takes EP recommendations very seriously. An EP can help clarify why a child is struggling and what support is needed.

What EPs assess

An educational psychologist assessment typically includes: cognitive ability (IQ and processing abilities like working memory, processing speed, verbal reasoning), attainment in key areas (reading, spelling, maths - usually with standardised tests showing where the child sits relative to peers), learning profile (strengths and weaknesses, preferred learning style), social, emotional, and behavioural aspects, functional impact on education, and recommendations for support. A good EP assessment explains not just what the child can't do, but why, and what would help.

What to ask the EP to focus on

Be specific about your concerns. If you're requesting the assessment for reading difficulties: "Please assess decoding, fluency, reading comprehension, and phonological awareness. Please identify underlying causes of the reading difficulty and recommend evidence-based interventions." If the concern is learning in general: "Please assess general cognitive ability, working memory, processing speed, and verbal reasoning to understand if there are underlying cognitive difficulties affecting learning." A focused request leads to a more useful report.

What a strong EP report looks like

A strong report includes: standardised test scores with interpretation (showing where the child sits relative to peers), observations of the child's learning profile and processing style, analysis of underlying difficulties, the functional impact on education and learning, clear, specific recommendations for support, and possibly recommendations about the level of provision needed (e.g., "this child's needs require provision beyond what a mainstream school can ordinarily provide"). Look for reports that explain the why, not just the what.

Using the EP report in your case

An EP report is powerful evidence in an EHCP request. If the school hasn't arranged an assessment, you can request one - either from the LA or privately. When making your EHCP request, include the EP report and reference it directly: "As indicated in the educational psychology report of [date], my child has a cognitive profile showing [specific strengths/weaknesses] and scores in the bottom [X]% in [area]. The report recommends [specific recommendation]." The LA will take this seriously - EPs are trusted professionals whose evidence is hard to dismiss.