[senco-forum] pupil tracking data STAR/EXCEL (not SEN)

Help!
  I am trying to make the STAR school tracking system produce something  useful, anyone used it successfully?
  Alternatively anyone know how to get excel to change the colour of cells based on value of another cell, when..(and this is the tricky bit) the value includes letters eg 3A or 2C?
  What I want is a sheet that clearly shows progress ie from sub level to sub level.
  All ideas gratefully received,
  Kate Barnes