A failed A-Level Maths mock is upsetting, but it is also useful evidence. The fastest way to recover is to treat the paper as a diagnostic, not a verdict. Map every lost mark into a small set of mark-losing patterns: algebra foundations, topic gaps, and exam execution. Then build a two-week micro-plan that targets the biggest mark gains first, rather than trying to “cover more content”. If you are considering A-Level maths tutoring, this diagnostic approach is what you are paying for.
Parents often get stuck because they cannot tell what actually went wrong: Pure content, Mechanics set-up, Statistics interpretation, or GCSE algebra leaking into everything. Many students revise using notes and videos, yet marks stay flat because they are not practising exam-style questions with full working and timing. The aim over the next month is simple: turn revision into marks by fixing the few patterns that cost the most.
First: what a failed A-Level Maths mock actually tells you (and what it doesn’t)
A mock result tells you how your child performed on that paper, under those conditions, with their current habits. It often reveals three things: which topics they avoid, where their working breaks down, and whether timing decisions are costing marks. It does not reliably tell you their final grade, because mocks vary by school, topic coverage, and marking strictness. It also does not prove they “don’t get maths”. Low mock scores often come from losing method marks through messy layout, skipped steps, or algebra slips.
Read the mock as a list of decisions and errors. If they dropped marks across questions they started but did not finish, that points to execution and time management, not just knowledge. If they lost marks early in questions (wrong rearrangement, sign error, incorrect substitution), that suggests foundations or technique. If they left whole Mechanics questions blank, it may be confidence and set-up, or it may be that their revision plan ignored Mechanics.
Do a 30-minute mock post‑mortem at home (before you change anything)
Before you change tutor, buy new resources, or rewrite a revision timetable, spend 30 minutes doing a structured post-mortem. You need the mock paper, your child’s script, and the mark scheme or teacher feedback. Your role is not to reteach: it is to help them label what happened.
Scan the paper and circle three types of evidence: questions they left blank, questions where the first line was wrong, and questions where they were close but dropped marks late. Write the mark loss next to each question (for example: “Q5: -6”). This shows whether the damage is spread thin or concentrated. If most lost marks come from a small number of question types, you have a clear target list for the next two weeks.
Sort mistakes into 4 buckets: knowledge gap, technique gap, exam execution, and algebra/foundation leak
Bucket 1 is a knowledge gap: they did not know a definition, method, or theorem. Examples include not knowing how to differentiate (\ln(x)), forgetting the trapezium rule set-up, or not recalling a standard normalisation step in Statistics.
Bucket 2 is a technique gap: they “know the topic” but cannot execute reliably. Examples include integration by parts set-up, solving trig equations with restricted domains, or forming a correct system of equations in Mechanics. Bucket 3 is exam execution: poor layout, missing method marks, not showing substitutions, or running out of time. Bucket 4 is an algebra/foundation leak: factorising errors, mishandling indices, incorrect rearranging, or weak simultaneous equations.
Decide what to fix first: a simple priority framework for Pure vs Mechanics vs Statistics
After a mock fail, many students spread revision evenly across Pure, Mechanics and Statistics because it feels fair. It is usually slow. Instead, prioritise based on two factors: mark availability on the next assessment and your child’s conversion rate in each area.
Start with the paper evidence. If the mock was heavily Pure and your child lost most marks there, Pure is the first battleground. If Pure marks were lost mainly through algebra slips and incomplete methods, prioritise Pure but focus on foundations and exam execution rather than new content. If Mechanics or Statistics were left blank, decide whether that was avoidance or genuine gaps.
For the next two weeks, pick one main strand (often Pure), one secondary strand (Mechanics or Statistics), and one foundation focus (algebra). For example: “Pure: differentiation and integration methods; Mechanics: resolving forces and constant acceleration; Algebra: rearranging and indices.”
Quick wins that often add marks fast (without ‘learning the whole course again’)
Quick wins are high-return habits that improve mark capture. One common win is method-mark structure. Many students lose marks by skipping lines and doing mental steps. Train “exam writing”: define variables, state formulas before substituting, and show key rearrangements. Even when the final answer is wrong, this protects method marks.
Another quick win is targeted question selection. Instead of rewatching videos, your child does short sets of exam questions on one micro-skill until the error rate drops. For example: five chain rule questions, then two mixed differentiation questions under time. A third quick win is timing rules: decide in advance when to move on (for example, if no progress after 2 minutes, skip and return).
When tutoring is the right next step (and when it isn’t)
Tutoring is a good next step when the problem is diagnosis and execution, not effort. If your child is revising but cannot translate it into marks, a tutor can spot patterns, correct technique, and set practice that is pitched correctly. Tutoring also helps when school feedback is limited, or when your child needs accountability to complete exam questions properly between lessons.
Tutoring is less effective if the main issue is that your child is not doing independent practice, refuses to attempt questions, or is missing large parts of the course due to attendance. In those cases, you may need a broader plan: speak to school about gaps, adjust subject load, or address wellbeing and exam anxiety support alongside maths. If you do choose tutoring, look for A-Level Maths tutoring that is evidence-led: the tutor works from the mock paper, builds an error map, and sets a short micro-plan rather than reteaching the whole syllabus.
What the First 4 Tutoring Sessions Should Look Like
Session 1 should start with evidence: the tutor asks for the mock paper, your child’s working, and any mark scheme or teacher comments. They will usually do a short baseline task live: a few exam-style questions that expose algebra reliability, core Pure skills (for example differentiation and rearranging), and how your child sets out solutions. You should come away knowing the top mark-losing patterns and what the next two weeks will focus on.
Session 2 targets the highest-return gap identified, often a technique issue that unlocks multiple questions. For example: fixing integration set-up, improving trig manipulation, or building a repeatable Mechanics modelling routine (diagram, define directions, write equations, solve). The tutor should model one question, then have your child write full solutions to similar questions with feedback.
Session 3 builds consistency. The tutor will mix skills so your child practises choosing methods, not just repeating one template. This is where foundations are patched alongside A-Level content: for example, algebraic fractions inside differentiation, or simultaneous equations inside Statistics. Homework should be specific: a short set of exam questions with an error log.
Session 4 is the first checkpoint. A good tutor sets a mini re-test: a timed section or a small past-paper extract focused on the weak areas. You review what improved (error rate, method marks, timing) and adjust the micro-plan. If progress is limited, the tutor should explain why: homework completion, a deeper algebra leak, or that the priority strand needs changing.
What Good Progress Looks Like in the First Month
- A written ‘error map’ after session 1–2 (e.g., recurring algebra slips, weak integration technique, modelling set-up errors): you can point to the top 3–5 patterns costing the most marks.
- Targeted homework sets are completed and marked, with the same error appearing less often: fewer repeated mistakes in the same skill (e.g., completing the square, chain rule, resolving forces).
- Improved method-mark capture: even when the final answer is wrong, the student consistently earns working marks because steps are structured and correct.
- Timing checkpoints improve: the student can complete a defined number of questions in a set time (e.g., 3 medium questions in 30 minutes) with a clear ‘move on’ rule.
- Topic confidence becomes specific: instead of “I’m bad at maths”, the student can say “I lose marks on trig identities and setting up Mechanics equations” and knows what to practise.
- A mini re-test shows uplift on the exact weak areas: a short quiz or past-paper extract on the targeted skills shows improvement compared with the mock attempts.
Questions to Ask a Tutor
- “How will you diagnose why they failed this specific mock in the first two sessions?” What a strong answer sounds like: they ask to see the paper and working, create an error log, and identify 3–5 mark-losing patterns before planning teaching.
- “How do you separate Pure, Mechanics and Statistics priorities, and what would you target first for my child?” What a strong answer sounds like: they explain a priority based on the mock evidence and upcoming assessments, and they can justify the first two-week focus.
- “What will homework look like between sessions, and how will it be checked?” What a strong answer sounds like: short exam-question sets, clear deadlines, review at the start of the next session, and a plan for repeating weak question types.
- “How do you teach exam technique (method marks, layout, timing) not just content?” What a strong answer sounds like: they describe how they train written method, show how to pick up marks even when stuck, and use timed drills with a move-on rule.
- “What will I see after 4 sessions that shows this is working?” What a strong answer sounds like: an error map, marked homework evidence, a mini re-test, and a revised micro-plan based on what improved.
- “If you spot GCSE algebra gaps, how do you fix them alongside A-Level topics?” What a strong answer sounds like: they run short algebra drills tied to current A-Level questions, track algebra errors separately, and avoid pausing A-Level for weeks.
Red Flags to Watch For
- They promise grade outcomes or talk in guarantees. Why this matters: A-Level Maths improvement depends on the student’s practice and starting point; reliable tutors focus on process, evidence, and milestones you can verify.
- They don’t ask to see the mock paper, working, or mark scheme. Why this matters: without the actual evidence, they can’t identify the real mark-losing patterns and will likely reteach broadly.
- Sessions are mostly ‘talking through’ solutions with little student writing. Why this matters: maths is a performance subject; if the student isn’t doing full questions under guidance, exam performance won’t shift.
- No marking, no error log, no feedback loop. Why this matters: if mistakes aren’t tracked and revisited, the same errors repeat and confidence drops further.
- They treat every student the same (same worksheets, same plan). Why this matters: after a mock fail, the fastest gains come from personalised triage, not a generic scheme of work.
- They ignore timing and method marks. Why this matters: many students lose marks even when they ‘know the topic’; a tutor should explicitly train layout, decision-making, and when to move on.
If the real problem is GCSE algebra: how to bridge the gap without derailing A-Level
GCSE algebra gaps often show up as “A-Level problems” because they surface inside harder questions. If your child cannot rearrange confidently, factorise reliably, handle indices, or solve simultaneous equations without errors, they will lose marks in differentiation, integration, sequences, and modelling. The fix is not to restart GCSE content from scratch. Identify the specific algebra moves that are breaking under pressure and practise them in short, repeated bursts.
A practical bridging plan looks like this: 10 to 15 minutes of algebra drills, three to four times a week, linked to current A-Level topics. For example, if integration is the focus, drills include expanding brackets, simplifying algebraic fractions, and solving for a constant from given conditions. If Mechanics is the focus, drills include rearranging formulas and solving simultaneous equations cleanly.
How to support at home without becoming the maths teacher
Your most helpful role is to support routines and evidence, not explanations. Ask to see the error log and the two-week micro-plan. Check that homework is specific (exam questions, not just notes) and that it is marked with corrections written out. A simple weekly check-in works well: “Show me one mistake you fixed this week and the question type it came from.”
You can also support exam execution. Encourage your child to practise with a timer and to write full working, even when they think they can do it mentally. If they freeze in tests, help them rehearse a reset routine: write down what is known, copy the formula, attempt a first step, and move on if stuck. If anxiety is a major factor, speak to school about access arrangements or pastoral support, but keep maths practice anchored in short, achievable timed sets.
Next steps: choosing the right support and booking an initial session
If the mock post-mortem shows concentrated issues, a short block of targeted tutoring often works better than a vague weekly lesson. Look for a tutor who will use the mock paper to build an error map, prioritise Pure vs Mechanics vs Statistics based on upcoming assessments, and set homework that is marked and revisited. Our overview of how tutoring sessions work explains what to expect from lesson structure and communication.
If you want to move quickly, book an initial conversation and bring the mock paper, working, and any topic list from school. The goal of the first month is measurable: fewer repeated errors, better method marks, and improved timing on the question types that cost the most. When you are ready, you can book a free introduction to discuss the mock evidence and a realistic two-week micro-plan.