What this guide covers
- What a nudge is, and how it differs from a reminder email
- How to spot the specific pillar worth a nudge
- What a good nudge says
- How the follow-up closes itself once evidence is logged
Quick answer
A nudge is a short, specific message to one teacher, naming the student and the pillar that is still quiet, sent from inside the record rather than a blanket email to the whole staff. It tells the teacher what to check and gives them a direct way to act.
Step 1: Start from a specific student, not the whole staff
A nudge begins on the dashboard, where a quiet pillar is already visible against a named student. Instead of asking every teacher for an update, a coordinator can see, for example, that a student has solid adjustment notes but a consultation record that has stayed quiet for a few weeks.
Send nudges early enough that the teaching period is still recent. A prompt sent while the lesson or the parent conversation is fresh is far easier to act on than one sent a term later.
Step 2: Write a nudge the teacher can act on immediately
A useful nudge names the student, names the pillar, and says what the next step is. It does not need to re-explain the whole NCCD process, and it should not read like a warning.
- Names the student and the specific pillar that is quiet
- Says what would close it, for example a short consultation note
- Links straight to the record, so logging takes seconds, not a search
- Reads as collegial, not as a compliance chase
Step 3: Let the follow-up close itself
Once the teacher opens the link and logs the entry, the readiness label updates and the nudge comes off the coordinator's list on its own. There is nothing further to track by hand, and no need to send a follow-up confirming it is done.
Why this matters
A group email asks everyone to check everything, so the teachers who already have strong records tend to tune it out. A targeted nudge only reaches the teacher who can actually close the gap, which is faster for the coordinator and quieter for staff who do not need to hear it.
Common mistake
Sending one message to the whole staff: A blanket reminder cannot name a specific student or pillar, so it reads as generic and gets ignored. Nudge the teacher who can act, not everyone who might be able to.
What to do next
Nudges work best alongside the dashboard view that surfaces where to send them.