Red
"I need to learn this"
You haven't covered this topic yet, or you feel completely lost when you see questions about it. This is your starting point - everyone has red topics!
help What is RAG?
RAG stands for Red, Amber, Green - just like traffic lights! It's a simple way to rate how confident you feel about each topic you need to learn for your GCSEs.
Instead of just reading through notes and hoping things stick, RAG helps you actively think about what you know and what you don't. This is called metacognition - being aware of your own learning - and research shows it's one of the most powerful ways to improve your grades.
Amber
"I'm getting there"
You understand the basics but need more practice. You might get some questions right but struggle with harder ones. Keep going - you're making progress!
Green
"I'm confident"
You understand this topic well and can answer questions about it confidently. You could explain it to a friend. But remember - green doesn't mean "never revise again"!
route The Journey from Red to Green
Your goal is to move topics from Red → Amber → Green over time. This doesn't happen by magic - it takes active revision and honest self-assessment.
Need to learn
Getting there
Confident
star Why RAG Works
target Focus Your Time
With limited revision time, RAG helps you spend it where it matters most - on red and amber topics, not re-reading things you already know.
psychology Active Recall
Rating yourself forces you to actually think "do I know this?" - which is far more effective than passive reading.
trending_up See Progress
Watching topics turn from red to amber to green is motivating! You can actually see yourself improving over time.
visibility No Surprises
You know exactly where your gaps are before the exam, so there's no nasty surprises when you open the paper.
rocket_launch Getting Started with PLC Tracker
The First Run is Crucial!
When you first set up a subject in PLC Tracker, you'll do a "First Run" through all the topics. This is incredibly important - it's where you honestly rate every single item for the first time.
warning Be Honest With Yourself!
PLC Tracker is only as good as the information you give it. If you mark everything as Green because you want to feel good, you're only cheating yourself. Be brutally honest during your First Run:
- If you've never heard of a topic → It's Red
- If you kind of remember it but couldn't explain it → It's Red or Amber
- If you could answer exam questions on it right now → It's Green
It's okay (and expected!) to have lots of red at the start. That's the whole point - now you know where to focus!
image
[Screenshot: First Run screen showing RAG rating in action]
The Revision Cycle
After your First Run, use this cycle to steadily improve:
1
Look at your Red topics - pick one to work on
arrow_downward
2
Study it - use notes, videos, flashcards, practice questions
arrow_downward
3
Test yourself - can you answer questions without looking?
arrow_downward
4
Update your RAG - be honest about your new confidence level
arrow_downward
5
Repeat! Keep cycling through until exam day
tips_and_updates Top Tips for RAG Success
lightbulb Tips from Top Students
- Little and often beats cramming - 20 minutes a day is better than 3 hours once a week
- Don't ignore your Greens completely - quick reviews stop you forgetting them
- It's okay to go backwards! - sometimes a Green becomes Amber again. That's normal and useful information
- Use Amber as your priority zone - these are the topics where a bit more effort can make a big difference
- Celebrate progress - every Red that turns Amber is a win!
- Review before bed - your brain consolidates memories while you sleep
quiz Using RAG with Different Revision Methods
Flashcards & Anki
PLC Tracker works brilliantly with Anki (a free flashcard app). Create flashcards for your Red and Amber topics, and Anki's spaced repetition will help move them to Green over time.
image
[Screenshot: Anki integration showing linked flashcards]
Past Papers
After doing a past paper, update your RAG ratings! If a question stumped you, that topic needs to go back to Red or Amber - no matter what you thought before.
Study Groups
Share your RAG progress with friends. If someone else is Green on a topic you're Red on, ask them to explain it to you. Teaching others is also a great way to cement your own understanding!
psychology_alt The Science Behind RAG
RAG isn't just a pretty colour system - it's based on solid learning science:
- Metacognition - Being aware of what you know and don't know is one of the most powerful learning strategies, according to the Education Endowment Foundation
- Spaced Repetition - Returning to topics over time (especially Red/Amber ones) creates stronger memories than massed practice
- Active Recall - Testing yourself is more effective than re-reading, and RAG forces you to recall information to rate it
- Interleaving - Mixing up topics (working on different colours) helps your brain make connections
owl Smart Revision Sessions
When you start a revision session in PLC Tracker, the app intelligently selects which topics to show you. Here's how it works:
- Priority by confidence - Red items get highest priority, then Amber, then Green
- Spaced repetition - Items you haven't seen for a while get boosted. Red topics should be reviewed daily, Amber every 3 days, Green weekly
- Instability detection - If you keep flip-flopping on a topic (Green → Amber → Green → Amber), the app notices and gives it extra priority
- Balanced variety - Sessions mix topics from different areas so you're not drilling the same thing repeatedly
- Fresh items first - New topics you've never revised get a boost to ensure nothing is forgotten
After each session, your new RAG ratings immediately update future priorities - so the system continuously adapts to your learning.
Using Anki Alongside PLC Tracker
We strongly recommend using Anki in addition to PLC Tracker. While PLC Tracker helps you identify what to revise and track your confidence, Anki is optimised for memorisation with its own sophisticated spaced repetition algorithm.
The best approach is to use both together:
- PLC Tracker for tracking your overall understanding and confidence across all topics
- Anki for drilling specific facts, definitions, and formulas you need to memorise
PLC Tracker can link directly to your Anki decks, so you can see your flashcard progress alongside your RAG ratings.
emoji_events Your Path to Exam Success
Remember: everyone starts with lots of Red. That's not failure - that's just the starting point of your journey. The students who do best aren't the ones who pretend they know everything; they're the ones who honestly identify their gaps and systematically fill them.
With PLC Tracker and the RAG system, you have a powerful tool to take control of your revision. Use it honestly, use it regularly, and watch your confidence grow as those Red topics turn Amber, and those Ambers turn Green.
You've got this! Start your First Run today.