About – Dr John Pugh

Primus Psychology director, independent child psychologist Dr John Pugh, is a chartered psychologist and psychotherapist, based in north-west England, specialising in childhood psychopathology and mental health.

Dr Pugh is an expert in special educational needs (SEN) law and childhood psychopathology and mental health. He also has longstanding experience as a principal educational psychologist, including management of a looked-after-children (LAC) educational psychology service.

Educational Psychology

Dr Pugh began his career in residential childcare, before becoming a secondary teacher and an expert educational psychologist; specialising in teaching young adults with emotional, social and behavioural difficulties. 

Doctoral Research

After qualifying as an educational psychologist, Dr Pugh trained in person-centred therapy (PCT), and specialised in child psychopathology and metal health; this was the focus of his 2011 doctoral research and subsequent academic specialism. 

Special Educational Needs (SEN) law

In the course of his career, Dr Pugh has provided more than 60 expert-witness testimonies at SEN tribunals throughout England, specialising in special educational needs law. 

He is highly commended by commissioning solicitors and parents for his commitment and professionalism, resulting in outstanding service feedback.

Local Authorities – North-West England

Frequently, Dr Pugh is commissioned by local authorities in the north-west of England to fulfil statutory functions, assess hard-to-reach children and young people and deliver bespoke training packages resulting in outstanding service feedback.

Schools – North-West England

Dr Pugh is a highly experienced and effective child psychology practitioner, who works to ensure the needs of schools are at the forefront of service delivery, with his approach resulting in outstanding feedback.

He is regularly commissioned by schools in the north-west of England, in areas such as the Wirral and Liverpool, as a replacement for, or to augment existing service delivery.