Maths is one of the subjects parents worry about most — and for good reason. Falling behind in maths has a compounding effect: gaps in Year 9 become serious problems in IGCSE, and IGCSE weaknesses can derail an entire IB or A-Level course. If your child is struggling, the good news is that the causes are almost always identifiable and fixable.
Here are the five most common reasons we see at A Star Academy — and what you can do about each one.
1. Gaps in Foundational Knowledge
Mathematics is uniquely cumulative. You cannot do algebra well without strong arithmetic. You cannot handle calculus without solid algebra. Unlike history or English, where a weak chapter can be somewhat isolated, a gap in maths tends to compound over time.
Many students who struggle in IGCSE or IB maths are not failing because the current content is too hard — they are failing because a foundation from two or three years ago was never properly established.
What to do: Do not assume the problem is just the current topic. Have a tutor do a proper diagnostic assessment to identify where the gaps actually are. Targeted gap-filling, even just a few sessions, can unlock significant progress.
2. Passive Studying
Reading through notes and watching worked examples feels productive. It is not. Mathematics is a skill, and skills are built through doing, not observing.
A student who can follow a worked example perfectly may still be completely unable to solve a similar problem independently — because they have never had to generate the thinking themselves.
What to do: Enforce active practice. Close the notes, put away the worked examples, and attempt problems from scratch. Getting things wrong and working through the errors is where real learning happens. Even 20 minutes of genuine problem-solving per day is worth more than two hours of passive revision.
3. Exam Technique Is Different from Subject Knowledge
Knowing the mathematics is only part of the battle. IB, IGCSE, and A-Level examinations have specific formats, marking schemes, and conventions. A student who understands the content perfectly can still lose significant marks by:
- Not showing sufficient working
- Misreading what a question is actually asking
- Running out of time due to poor pacing
- Not knowing which calculator techniques are expected
What to do: Past paper practice under timed, exam conditions is non-negotiable in the final months before an exam. Review mark schemes carefully — not to memorise answers, but to understand exactly what examiners are looking for.
4. Maths Anxiety and Fixed Mindset
"I'm just not a maths person." This belief — which students often pick up from parents, peers, or a single bad experience with a teacher — is one of the most damaging things a young person can hold about themselves. It is also almost never true.
Mathematical ability is largely a product of quality instruction and deliberate practice. Students who believe they cannot do maths stop trying when they encounter difficulty. Students who believe ability can grow persist, seek help, and improve.
What to do: Challenge the narrative. Celebrate small wins — a concept that clicked, a problem type mastered. Ensure your child has a tutor or teacher they trust and feel safe to be wrong in front of. Progress in maths requires being willing to make mistakes.
5. One-Size-Fits-All Teaching
Classroom teaching, however excellent, cannot address 25 students' individual gaps simultaneously. A teacher who moves on when most of the class understands a concept will inevitably leave some students behind — and those students often do not speak up.
This is especially true in international schools where students come from very different mathematical backgrounds and may be working in a second or third language.
What to do: Personalised support — whether one-on-one tutoring or small group work — allows instruction to be genuinely tailored to where a student is. A good tutor does not just re-explain what the classroom teacher said; they identify the specific misconception and address it directly.
The Bottom Line
Struggling with maths is common, but it is rarely permanent. The students we work with at A Star Academy — many of whom arrived believing they were simply "bad at maths" — consistently surprise themselves when they receive targeted, patient, and personalised support.
If your child is finding maths difficult, do not wait for the problem to resolve itself. The earlier gaps are addressed, the easier they are to fix.
At A Star Academy, we specialise in identifying exactly where a student's understanding breaks down — and rebuilding from there. Book a free trial lesson by emailing [email protected].