Educational psychology appears to present itself to school-based practitioners as a solution to problems of practice. Yet the extent to which psychology actually informs the practical repertoires of teachers in schools is limited. Two implications of a model of psychology as a solution to problems in educational settings are discussed. Firstly, the need for attention to the situated nature of teacher knowledge and teachers’ need for support as they learn to work with fresh understandings are explored. Secondly, the extent to which the discipline of educational psychology is able to develop through close links with educational practice is considered. Using a sociocultural framework the paper explores alternative routes for the development of educational psychology as a research-based profession and for the development of the discipline of educational psychology.