What to do if you are behind in A-levels
Dr Lavan Ganeshkumar, PhD · updated 4 October 2026
Being behind at A-level is recoverable, and the first step is not to panic-plan. The mistake that makes it worse is trying to catch up on everything at once. Triage, pick the topics that matter most, and start with one small thing today.
Feeling overwhelmed is common and it is a planning problem, not a verdict on you.
Step 1: list what you have missed
Write down every topic in each subject, then mark which ones you have been taught, which you have understood and which you have not. This makes the problem finite, which is half the relief.
Step 2: triage
Order topics by how much they are worth and how much they unlock. Foundations first, because later topics assume them: algebra in maths, moles in chemistry, mechanics in physics, cells and biological molecules in biology. Do not spend a week on a topic that is worth little.
Step 3: start small today
Pick one topic and one twenty-minute task: learn a small piece, close it, answer a few questions. Starting small beats planning big. Repeat tomorrow.
Where to start if you have not revised at all
Take a past paper question on a topic you were taught recently, try it, and see how it goes. It shows you what you know and gives you a starting point faster than rereading.
Stopping procrastination
Reduce the first step until it is too small to avoid: ten minutes, one question. Remove your phone from the room. Decide the next day's task before you stop today so there is no decision in the morning.
Talk to someone
Tell a teacher or parent where you are. Schools often have support for students who are behind, and the problem is easier to fix when someone else knows.
Where Trayna fits, and where it does not
Trayna is a 24/7 online tutor in your pocket, on your tablet and on the web. Dr Lavan teaches you the topics in the app any time, anywhere, and an adaptive plan reinforces them each day from now to your exam. It is there for students who cannot afford 1-to-1 tutoring, and it is built to act like a 1-to-1 tutor: it teaches, it checks, and it adapts to how you are doing. The aim is that you really understand the subject and are prepared for it, not just that you have revised it. It is A-level only, for Maths, Chemistry, Physics and Biology. Maths follows Edexcel; Chemistry, Physics and Biology follow AQA.
If you are behind, the plan fits the days left before your exam and puts what matters most first.
It is for both Year 12 and Year 13. Year 13 students already use it, and Year 13 topics are being added as current students need them while Year 12 is the most complete, so check your topics in the app. If you only want free past papers, PMT does that better than we do, and we would rather you used it.
Common questions
I am behind on A-level content. How do I catch up?
List what you have missed, triage by importance and what each topic unlocks, start with foundations, and do a small learning-then-questions task every day instead of trying to cover everything.
I have not revised at all. Where do I start?
Try a past paper question on a topic you were taught recently, see what you know, then learn the gaps with a short task today and again tomorrow.
I have too much to revise. How do I prioritise?
Prioritise foundations that later topics rely on and the topics where you lose the most marks, not the ones you enjoy. Drop low-value detail.
How do I stop procrastinating on revision?
Make the first step tiny, remove your phone, and choose tomorrow's task before you stop today. Starting for ten minutes usually leads to more.
Should I tell my teacher I am behind?
Yes. Teachers can help prioritise, and many schools offer support. It is easier to fix with their help.
Trayna does this automatically. You enter your subjects, your exam dates and how long you have each day, and it builds the route from today to those exams, then adapts it as you go. Maths follows Edexcel; Chemistry, Physics and Biology follow AQA.
Get Trayna on the App Store · on Google Play
Free for 14 days, then from £9.99 a month. Cancel any time.