Give your child some time before you sit down with the test. When they’re ready, ask them to choose one question they expected to get right. Let them show you what they thought the question was asking and where they started. You may discover that they understood the maths but overlooked a word in the instructions, or that they could explain the idea aloud but struggled to put it on paper.
Compare that question with one they answered correctly. If they could calculate the total in one problem but missed the same calculation in a longer one, underline the information they need and try a similar example together. Then give them a fresh question to do on their own. Keep the session short enough to finish with something they can explain in their own words.
A few days later, return to that skill with one new example. Ask your child to show you what they did differently this time. If the same difficulty keeps showing up, bring both attempts to the teacher or tutor. Two examples of their thinking give you a more precise starting point for the next lesson.
