Tagging Evidence to the Right Pillar

What this guide covers

This guide explains what the four NCCD pillars are, why tagging evidence to the correct pillar matters, examples of evidence under each pillar, common tagging mistakes, and how automatic tagging helps.

What are the four NCCD pillars?

Schools are expected to have evidence available across four areas. Each piece of evidence may relate primarily to one pillar, although some records can support more than one. Correct tagging helps teachers and coordinators identify gaps in documentation and present a clearer audit trail.

• Assessed educational need — evidence showing the student's disability and the impact on learning or participation, such as assessments, observations or specialist reports.
• Consultation and collaboration — records of discussions with the student, parents or carers, teachers and relevant professionals about the student's needs and supports.
• Adjustments — evidence of the reasonable adjustments being made so the student can access education on the same basis as peers.
• Monitoring and review — evidence that the effectiveness of the adjustments is checked over time and changed when needed.

Why tagging evidence to the correct pillar matters

Tagging evidence helps schools show that they have records across all four NCCD areas rather than a cluster of notes in only one category. This is important during internal reviews and external audits.

It also makes it easier to retrieve evidence when preparing a student's record, tracking the 10-week evidence period, and justifying the level of adjustment being reported.

For example, if every entry is tagged as an adjustment, the school may have no obvious record of consultation or monitoring even if those things happened. Clear tagging reduces this risk and helps staff work consistently across the year.

Examples of evidence under each pillar

Different types of records naturally fit different pillars. Understanding where common evidence types belong makes tagging faster and more accurate.

Common tagging mistakes

A good tagging system does not replace professional judgement, but it makes that judgement visible and easier to review. The NCCD Portal provides guidance on how evidence should be organised across the pillars.

1. 1.Tagging every entry as an adjustment, even when it is really consultation or monitoring.
2. 2.Using vague labels without linking the record to one of the four pillars.
3. 3.Failing to tag evidence at the time it is recorded, then forgetting where it belongs.
4. 4.Keeping evidence in separate notebooks or inboxes that are difficult to retrieve later.
5. 5.Not checking whether all four pillars are represented across the student's file.

Manual tagging versus automatic tagging

In a manual system, teachers may need to decide the pillar themselves and select it from a dropdown or record it in notes. This can work, but it increases the chance of inconsistency when staff are busy or unsure which pillar applies.

Automatic tagging can reduce this friction. For example, if a platform identifies that a parent phone call is consultation or that a progress check belongs under monitoring and review, teachers can create records faster and more consistently.

Automatic tagging is especially helpful when schools are collecting a large number of small evidence entries across the term. It supports better organisation without requiring teachers to stop and think about filing structure every time.

Summary

Tagging evidence to the right NCCD pillar helps schools build a clearer and more defensible record of support. It shows whether evidence exists across assessed need, consultation, adjustments and monitoring, and it makes review far easier at audit time.

Whether tagging is done manually or automatically, the goal is the same: organise evidence so it accurately reflects the student's needs and the support provided.

Frequently Asked Questions