Sheffield Support Grid Parent/Carer Quick Guide
What is the Sheffield Support Grid (SSG)?
The SSG is a tool that helps schools in Sheffield support children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). It makes sure all children get the same help, no matter which school they go to.
There are currently three versions of the SSG:
How Does It Work?
The SSG looks at 4 main areas where children might need help:
- Communication and Interaction – speech, language and social skills.
- Cognition and Learning – general learning difficulties and specific learning difficulties like dyslexia.
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health – behaviour, feelings, and emotions.
- Sensory or Physical Needs – hearing, seeing, or moving around.
Levels of Need and Support
There are 5 levels of need and support. Level 1 being the mildest and Level 5 being the more complex:
- Levels 1–2: Tells schools about help they can give on their own without extra money or expert support. This is called the Ordinarily Available Toolkit. This is included in the SSG documents.
- Levels 3–5: Tells schools about the more detailed support. It also says what other services and professionals outside of school they can ask for help from.
How Are Levels Decided?
Teachers and other professionals decide the level based on what your child needs are. Parents and carers should be part of these talks.
What Can Parents Do?
- Talk to the school about which of the 4 areas your child needs help with.
- Ask what level your child is on and why. Be part of this conversation.
- Work with the school to plan support for your child.
- Ask if the support is helping.
- Find out if your child can get help from other services and what forms are needed.
What If You Don’t Agree?
- Speak to the school’s SENCO or leadership team.
- Contact Sheffield SENDIAS for advice.
- Use the school’s complaints process if needed.
Your Rights as a parent
The SSG indicates the level of support plans/paperwork that your child would benefit from. Your SENCO should discuss this with you. You can ask for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) assessment at any time if you think your child needs more help than the school can give.