Educational Psychology Service

Works with children, parents and teachers and schools to promote children’s learning and development

The Educational Psychology Service is responsible for statutory SEN functions and also offers non- statutory Traded Services.

Statutory role

Completing the psychological advice for a statutory assessment, which may include any or all of the following in a school or early years setting:

  • Classroom/playground observations
  • Consultations/discussions with staff and other professionals
  • Consultations/discussions with parents/carers
  • Direct work with individual pupils
  • Participating in multi-agency meetings about the child or young person, if appropriate.

Support for pupils with Education Health and Care plans which may include:

  • Participating in annual reviews if required by the local authority
  • Acting as a key worker for young people in out of county provision
  • Participating in tribunal (SENDIST) work as required

Traded Services

  • Consultations to teachers and other professionals.
  • Designing and assisting the implementation of evidence bases and effective interventions to improve learning, social and behavioural outcomes.
  • Training to school staff, others members of the children’s workforce and parents and carers.
  • Advising school staff and other practitioners on techniques and strategies to meet the needs of vulnerable groups covering difficulties with cognition and learning, emotional behavioural and social needs, this may include ADHD or anxiety-based needs. Communication and interaction needs including Autistic Spectrum Conditions (ASC), and speech, language and communication needs. Psychological and developmental aspects affecting children with physical and sensory needs.
  • Supporting schools and parents in joint problem-solving.
  • Advising school staff on issues faced by children and families at challenging times, such as coping with bereavement, transition, complex family issues such as adult mental health, and child protection issues.
  • Undertaking complex casework in collaboration with other professionals.
  • Supervising and mentoring front line staff individually or in groups.
  • Undertaking research, local needs assessments and project evaluations, to inform the effective targeting, development and impact analysis of school projects and interventions to promote the engagement and learning of children.
  • Education Support Service annual buyback 2017-18 (pdf format, 1.7Mb)

How the team makes a difference

Educational Psychologists (EPs) are a team of professionals with the training and expertise to assess and provide strategies to enable children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Additional Education Needs (AEN) to make good progress. EPs provide a distinctive psychological contribution at an individual, group or whole school strategic level.

  • Ensuring that the needs of children and young people are appropriately identified.
  • Ensuring that Education Health and Care Plans are based on person centred planning that keeps the child or young person at the heart of the assessment process a joint assessment, planning and review processes that keep parents and carers at the heart of discussions and decision making about their child.
  • Identifying outcomes that are meaningful for the child or young person to make progress.
  • Effectively communicating with families and professionals to clarify and pre-empt disagreement, which can make a difference to parental confidence and pupil progress.
  • •Supporting transition through identifying appropriate pathways for future education or employment, independent living and participation in the community.

The impact of the service

  • Advice for statutory assessments provided within prescribed timescales to meet statutory deadlines.  100% of statutory assessments in Oxfordshire are completed within 26 weeks.
  • Few pupils with statements are excluded from either mainstream or special school.
  • Low numbers of complaints and tribunals.
  • Low number of placements in out of county provision.
  • Improved access to learning and academic achievement for children.
  • Improved learning environments that promotes positive mental health, emotional wellbeing and effective learning.
  • Improved behaviour of children and good attendance and positive engagement in learning.
  • Increased school staff knowledge, skills and confidence in teaching children with special and additional needs and additional educational needs.
  • Effective multiagency partnership/working: Sharing good practice and operating across school partnerships with a variety of non-school partners such as mental health practitioners and family support workers.

Costs to users

The statutory functions of the Educational Psychology Service are provided free of charge to settings, schools and academies. Requests for traded services are made through the team leaders for your area Deb Smit (City), Kathryn Davidson (North) and Catherine Roderick (South). Contact details are on our contacts page.

Traded days are charged at: £500 per day.

Policies and documents

The service is part of Education Support Services. Schools are encouraged to make partnership bids as this is more cost efficient and provides flexibility in delivering the service.