Dr Arran Kai Nurse – Educational Psychologist

I am a HCPC-registered Educational and Child Psychologist with a professional doctorate and broad experience supporting children, young people, and families in school and community settings.

I carry out holistic, tailored assessments that provide a clear picture of a child’s cognitive profile and learning needs, including dyslexia. I also explore social, emotional, and mental health factors that may affect development and wellbeing. Grounded in current research, my assessments aim to offer clarity, insight, and practical recommendations that support meaningful progress.

Social justice underpins my work. I’m committed to reducing barriers to learning and wellbeing through neuroaffirmative and strengths-based approaches that ensure each child feels seen, heard, and understood. Relationships are central to this process — I work with empathy, honesty, and care, and want every parent and child to feel supported and confident throughout the assessment journey. As a young, mixed-heritage psychologist, I value diversity and difference, and often find this helps me build meaningful connections with the families I work with.

I am an Educational Psychologist fully registered with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC), practitioner number PYL044913. I appear on the HCPC’s list of recognised practitioner psychologists.

I completed my undergraduate degree in Education and Psychology at the University of Southampton, followed by a professional doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology at the University of East London.

I have broad experience working with children, young people, and families across both school and community settings. I am experienced in supporting neurodivergent learners and those with literacy, learning, and social–emotional wellbeing needs. I work closely with parents, carers, and school staff to build a shared understanding of each child, offering clear, practical recommendations that lead to meaningful and lasting change.

My approach is rooted in a holistic understanding of child development and underpinned by a strong commitment to inclusion and social justice. I draw on strengths-based, neuroaffirmative practices to help reduce barriers to learning and ensure every child feels seen, heard, and valued. Relationships are central to my work—I aim to bring empathy, honesty, and care to every stage of the process so that families feel supported and understood.

I take an ethical and considered approach to diagnostic assessment. While I recognise the value of a diagnosis in accessing support and understanding a child’s needs, I also believe that no label should define or limit a child’s potential. As a reflective and ethical practitioner, delivering high-quality, evidence-informed assessments and advice—guided by the latest research—is a priority in my work.

Currently, I work as an Educational Psychologist for a London Local Authority, where I support several mainstream and specialist schools as their link EP. My role includes contributing to complex casework, providing statutory advice, delivering group supervision, and supporting wider service development—particularly through anti-racist practice initiatives. My day-to-day work covers the full scope of educational psychology services, including assessment, observation, consultation, training, and research.

What an Educational Psychology Assessment Involves

An Educational Psychology (EP) assessment is a collaborative process designed to build a clear picture of a child or young person’s strengths, areas of difficulty, and the factors influencing their development and learning. The process typically involves the following steps:

Initial Consultation and Information Gathering

· An initial meeting will be arranged with parents or carers to explore your child’s developmental history, current needs, and any support or strategies already in place. This helps create a shared understanding of the concerns and informs the direction of the assessment.

· I will also review relevant background documents—such as school reports, previous assessments, or medical information—to ensure a full and accurate picture of your child’s needs.

Direct (1:1) Assessment

· Cognitive assessment includes tasks that explore how your child thinks and processes information, such as memory, attention, processing speed, reasoning, and executive functioning. These assessments help us understand how your child learns and where support may be helpful.

· Attainment (learning) assessments look at the academic skills your child has developed, including reading, writing, spelling, maths, and phonological processing. These help show how their thinking skills are applied in the classroom and highlight any learning gaps.

· Language and communication assessment may be included to explore how your child understands and uses language, particularly if this is thought to impact learning or social interaction.

· Social, emotional, and mental wellbeing is explored through age-appropriate tools such as rating scales, questionnaires, or card-based tasks. These can offer insight into your child’s experiences and emotional world, especially in relation to school.

Feedback and Next Steps

· You will receive a detailed written report summarising the assessment findings and outlining clear, practical recommendations. There will be an opportunity to discuss the report and ask questions before it is finalised.

· The report will include tailored advice to support your child’s learning and wellbeing—at home, in school, and beyond.

The Service

At Moon Hall Assessment Centre, I provide standard assessments which include the following:

· An online or in-person consultation with parents/carers to gain a full understanding of the child’s developmental history and current context

· Examination of available documentation relating to your child’s learning, from education, health etc

· Direct 1:1 assessment with your child (see details above), conducted at Moon Hall Assessment Centre

· A comprehensive educational psychology report with clear, actionable recommendations

Fees and Timescales – Standard Offer

· Fixed fee: £1,400, covering all the activities outlined above

· Turnaround: Reports are typically completed and shared within 6 weeks of assessment