How to Know What Your Child Is Struggling With at School

A disappointing mark tells you that something needs attention. It doesn't always tell you what. A learner can lose marks in Mathematics because of one topic they never quite understood, because they ran out of time, or because they misread the questions. Each of those needs a different response, so it helps to find out which one it is before deciding what to do.

This guide covers practical ways to find where your child needs help, and how to turn what you find into a next step.

Low marks don't always tell you where the problem is

An overall mark combines many topics and skills into one number. A learner who is comfortable with most of a subject but unsure about one topic can still end up with a mark that looks acceptable. Another learner can get a low mark mostly because of how the test went on the day. The mark is where the question starts, not the answer.

Look beyond the overall mark

Ask to see the marked work, not only the result. On a marked test, look at:

• Which questions lost marks, and whether they cover the same topic.
• What kind of mistake it was: a method that didn't work, an unfinished answer, or a small slip on something your child can usually do.
• Where in the paper the marks were lost. Questions left blank at the end can point to time rather than the topic.

Look for patterns across questions and topics

One wrong answer says very little. A pattern says more: the same kind of question going wrong in a class test, in homework and again in the next test. A pattern that holds across different pieces of work is worth acting on. A single bad result on its own may not be.

Use schoolwork as evidence

Everyday schoolwork shows things a test mark can't:

• homework on one topic that takes much longer than the rest;
• corrections the teacher has written in a workbook;
• questions your child skips or leaves unfinished;
• a topic they avoid, or describe as "the part I don't get".

You don't need to know the subject yourself to notice these. Asking your child to explain how they did a question, even one they got right, can also tell you a lot.

Give your child a way to check what they understand

A short check on specific topics, separate from school tests, can confirm what the schoolwork suggests. It helps most when it is low-pressure and looked at topic by topic, rather than as a single score.

Turn the information into something you can act on

Once you have a picture, narrow it down to the one or two topics that seem to need the most attention, and choose one action for each:

• practise that topic;
• ask the teacher how it is being covered in class;
• get more support if practice isn't helping.

Then check the same topic again later to see whether things are changing.

How ReClass helps build this picture

ReClass Learning Assist is built around this process:

• When you sign up, you tell us how you feel each subject is going, and can add recent marks. You can also add photos of a recent marked test. Once you've checked the questions ReClass read from it, the marked questions it can match to a topic count as evidence.
• A short Learning Check, where one is available for your child's grade and subject, gives a first picture by topic.
• The Learning Passport keeps a topic-by-topic record of your child's progress as they practise and use Homework Assist. It only scores a topic once there is enough evidence, and highlights the topic that currently needs the most attention.

ReClass shows where your child may need more practice. It doesn't diagnose learning difficulties or explain why a topic is hard, and it only knows about the work done on ReClass.

When additional support may help

If a topic stays difficult after regular practice, it may be time to involve someone else. Your child's teacher is usually the best first conversation. A tutor can work on specific topics one-on-one, and on ReClass a tutor you book can see your child's Learning Passport, so a session can start where your child needs help. If you are concerned about something beyond schoolwork, speak to the school.

• How Learning Assist works
• How to identify learning gaps
• My child studies but still gets low marks