What to Do If You Fall Behind at School

Falling behind at school feels alarming, but it happens to most students at some point. Illness, a difficult patch at home, a topic that never quite clicked — there are many reasons. What matters is what happens next. With the right plan, it is possible to catch up without feeling overwhelmed.

Why falling behind is not as serious as it feels

The fear of falling behind is often worse than the reality. Gaps in knowledge are a normal part of learning. The national curriculum is designed to be progressive, so a gap in one topic can make later topics harder — but gaps can be filled, and students catch up regularly when they approach it methodically.

The most damaging response to falling behind is avoidance: staying quiet, hoping no one notices, and letting the gap grow. The most effective response is to name the gap, work out how big it is, and make a plan.

Step 1 — Find out exactly what you have missed

Before you can catch up, you need to know what the gap actually is. This sounds obvious, but many students feel vaguely behind without having a specific list. Work out:

Which topics or units did you miss, or did not fully understand at the time?

Which subjects are most affected?

How far behind are you relative to where your class is now?

Speak to your teacher and ask for the scheme of work or a list of the topics covered while you were away or struggling. Teachers are generally very willing to help students who ask directly — it is a sign of maturity, not weakness.

Step 2 — Triage your gaps by urgency

Not all gaps are equally urgent. Sort them using this framework:

Priority | Situation | Action
High | Topic is assessed soon and you have significant gaps | Address this week
Medium | Topic is assessed in a few weeks and gaps are partial | Address within a fortnight
Lower | Topic is not assessed soon or gaps are minor | Schedule for later

Do not try to address every gap at once. Focusing on high-priority gaps first makes the most difference to your immediate results and prevents overwhelm.

Step 3 — Use active catch-up, not passive rereading

When catching up on missed content, the instinct is to read through everything that was covered while you were away. This is better than nothing, but a more efficient approach uses active recall from the start:

Read the topic notes or a relevant BBC Bitesize page once.

Close everything and write what you remember (brain dump).

Check what you missed.

Repeat the next day, focusing only on the gaps.

This approach consolidates new content much faster than multiple passive readings, and it gives you an honest picture of what you actually know.

Step 4 — Ask for help without embarrassment

Catching up alone is slower and harder than catching up with support. The most effective sources of help are:

Your teacher — ask specifically about the topics you missed and whether there is any additional support available.

A study buddy — a classmate who can walk you through what you missed in a structured way (see our guide on study buddy systems).

A tutor — targeted one-to-one support can address gaps efficiently and build confidence in a way that is hard to replicate in a classroom.

BBC Bitesize — free, curriculum-aligned resources covering KS3 and GCSE content across subjects.

Research from the Education Endowment Foundation consistently shows that targeted tutoring has a strong positive effect on attainment for students who have fallen behind — particularly when sessions focus on specific identified gaps rather than general subject coverage.

Step 5 — Protect your momentum

Catching up while keeping up with current classwork is genuinely hard. To avoid the catch-up itself becoming overwhelming:

Allocate specific time for catch-up work — separate from your normal homework time.

Celebrate small wins: filling one identified gap is progress, even if more remain.

Check in with your teacher periodically to confirm you are covering the right material.

Do not try to catch up completely in one intensive weekend — spreading it over two to three weeks is more effective and sustainable.

A sample two-week catch-up plan

Week | Focus
Week 1, sessions 1–2 | Identify all gaps; triage by priority
Week 1, sessions 3–4 | Active catch-up on the highest-priority topic
Week 2, sessions 1–2 | Second-priority topic; revisit week 1 topic
Week 2, sessions 3–4 | Third-priority topic; retrieval check across all three

Frequently asked questions

How do I catch up on missed schoolwork without falling further behind in current lessons?

Allocate separate time for catch-up and current work — do not combine them in the same session. Even 20 focused minutes per day on catch-up content, sustained over two weeks, can address multiple gaps without overwhelming your normal routine. Speak to your teacher; they may be able to extend deadlines or direct you to the most important catch-up content.

What if I have missed so much that I do not know where to start?

Start with the most recent assessable topic, not the very beginning of the year. Work backwards if there is time. A tutor can help you audit gaps efficiently and build a prioritised plan in a way that is hard to do alone, especially when the subject feels large and unclear.

Should I tell my teacher I have fallen behind?

Yes — always. Teachers cannot support students they do not know are struggling. Most schools have processes for supporting catch-up, including pastoral support, additional resources, and catch-up sessions. The earlier you speak up, the more options are available.

How do I rebuild confidence after falling behind?

Focus on what you can do, not what you missed. Each gap you fill is a genuine win. Use active recall to test yourself and recognise visible progress. The NHS notes that self-efficacy — belief in your own ability to improve — is an important factor in academic recovery. Each small success rebuilds it.

For personalised tutoring that meets students exactly where they are and helps them catch up with confidence, visit aitutors.me.