Sally Morley 1942-2024

Our highly esteemed and much loved colleague Sally Morley, Educational Psychologist of the Derbyshire Educational Psychology Service for over 30 years, died on 10 August 2024 and will be sadly missed. 

Sally trained in Edinburgh and Newcastle and taught in Newcastle before moving to Redbridge and Bexley as an EP and then to Derbyshire. She lectured in Nottingham University Medical School and served as an Open University tutor shaping the careers of future psychologists. 

It would be a disservice to quantify her career in terms of lists of publications and research findings; rather it can be found in the value, support and profound encouragement she gave to others in her highly skilled and long career.

Sally was gifted socially. This enabled her to let teachers, parents and children explain what was troubling them in a very natural way which allowed them to move towards solving their difficulties. She usually brought a mischievous twinkle and a sense of irreverent challenge to sometimes starchy professional gatherings. But beneath that there was a serious psychologist and human being with a strong social conscience and a desire to make positive changes for the children, their families, schools and the wider community she served. She was always interested in others, with a willingness to challenge the status quo. Sally loved her work and used her role well to improve the lives of many.

Sally was a modest yet legendary team builder and the one who would quietly reach out to anyone who did not feel included. She tended to underestimate the enormous impact she made as a responsible risk-taker, an outgoing and good natured social character, a generous role model, a compassionate mother figure, a strong advocate for social justice and the one who would give a boost to anyone who was struggling. She was there volunteering when it mattered and was always ready to listen. She was the one who remembered everything.

Sally was an outstanding supporter and supervisor and a keen spotter of talent. She helped recruits into training and nurtured all of us both personally and professionally. Sally demonstrated robust energy and no one ever showed more interest in what had just been published in a journal or a book. Colleagues are quick to recall that she made us laugh. Teachers called her "bloody marvelous" and "unforgettable" and they loved her. She set impressive standards that her students and colleagues elected to emulate.

To spend time with her was to have the full focus of her attention and regard. She used her years of experience, her broad knowledge of current practice and research findings, and synthesised these into interventions that would be the most useful for children, parents, carers, special needs coordinators or headteachers. This was given with empathy, kindness, and humour.

The field of Educational Psychology and the world is a richer place for having had her in it. This message was compiled with contributions from many who knew Sally well and who deeply regret her passing.