family_restroom Getting Started Guide for Parents

A quick overview of how PLC Tracker helps your child organise and track their GCSE revision

help What is PLC Tracker?

Schools provide Personal Learning Checklists (PLCs) - topic lists showing everything students need to know for their exams. These are often handed out as PDFs or Word documents that quickly get lost or forgotten. PLC Tracker brings these checklists into a web app where students can actively track their progress and parents can easily see how revision is going.

Students rate their confidence on each topic using a simple Red-Amber-Green (RAG) system. This makes it easy to see at a glance which areas need the most attention, helping to focus revision time on weaker topics rather than repeatedly going over material they already know.

For students using Anki flashcards, PLC Tracker can link each topic to an Anki deck. This means they can create flashcards directly from PLC items - one card per topic helps organise revision and ensures nothing gets missed.

palette Understanding the RAG System

Your child will rate each topic using three colours:

Red - Need to Learn

"I don't know this yet"

Amber - Getting There

"I sort of know this but need more practice"

Green - Confident

"I know this well and could answer exam questions"

lightbulb Parent Tip

Lots of red at the start is completely normal and good! It shows your child is being honest about what they need to learn. The goal is to watch those reds turn green over time.

rocket_launch How Your Child Gets Started

1 Import or Choose PLCs

Your child can import their school's PLC spreadsheet, or use one of the built-in PLCs we provide for common GCSE subjects (AQA, OCR).

2 Complete the First Run

They'll go through each topic once and rate their initial confidence. This takes about 10-15 minutes per subject and creates their baseline.

3 Revise and Update

As they study, they update their RAG ratings. The app shows which topics need attention and tracks progress over time.

calendar_month Suggested Timetable

Here's our recommended timeline for getting the most out of PLC Tracker across the two-year GCSE course:

Year 10 Year 11 Exams
December Year 10
download Setup & Import

Use the Christmas holidays to import your school's PLCs. After one term of GCSEs, students have a rough understanding of each subject.

January - July Year 10
play_circle First Runs & Cards

Complete the First Run for each subject by February half term. Then start creating Anki cards as topics are taught - while the material is fresh.

September - October Year 11
build Build & Prepare

Continue building Anki cards and updating RAG ratings. Mock exams are approaching - there's plenty of time to keep strengthening weak areas.

November - December Year 11
quiz Mock Exams

Use Anki cards for focused revision. Add more detail to cards where needed. The PLC dashboard helps identify priority topics.

January - February Year 11
rate_review Review & Refine

After mocks, review the PLCs based on exam experience. Update RAG ratings - some may go up, some down. This creates a solid foundation.

March - May Year 11
school Final Revision

Second mocks or final exam prep. With accurate RAG ratings and well-built Anki decks, revision is targeted and effective.

Year 10 Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug
Setup & Import First Runs Create Anki Cards Summer Break (revise too!)
Year 11 Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Build & Prepare Mock Exams Review & Refine Final Revision & Exams

lightbulb Don't Worry About Being Late

Starting later than December Year 10? No problem! The key is getting PLCs loaded and First Runs done as soon as possible. Even starting in Year 11 still gives students a valuable tool for organising their revision.

visibility How to Check Progress

You can easily see how revision is going:

Click any image to view larger:

tips_and_updates Optional Features

style Anki Integration

If your child uses Anki flashcards, they can link their decks and create flashcards directly from PLC items while revising.

cloud Google Drive Backup

Progress can be backed up to Google Drive, allowing access from different devices and preventing data loss.

security Privacy & Data

support Supporting Your Child

Encourage honesty - remind them that red ratings aren't "bad", they're helpful for identifying where to focus.

Celebrate progress - when reds turn to ambers and ambers turn to greens, that's real learning happening!

Check in regularly - a quick look at the dashboard together can spark useful conversations about revision.

volunteer_activism How This Site is Funded

PLC Tracker is a personal project that I maintain in my spare time. I believe revision tools should be accessible to all students, regardless of their family's financial situation.

If PLC Tracker helps your child with their revision and you'd like to support its continued development, you can send a tip using the donate button in the corner of this page. There's absolutely no obligation.

arrow_forward Ready to Get Started?

PLC Tracker is completely free with no account required.

rocket_launch Open PLC Tracker