For M28 students, who started DP1 in August 2026 and take exams in May 2028, tell your new teacher after switching that you have formally joined the class, briefly explain what you previously studied, and ask what you must catch up on first. The goal is to establish expectations, identify missed work, and agree on a realistic plan.
An IB subject change or DP1 switch is manageable when you communicate early. Your first conversation should cover prior knowledge, missed topics, coursework, resources, deadlines, and how the teacher wants you to request help.
A short script for speaking to your new teacher
You can say:
Hello, I have just switched from [previous subject or level] into [new subject and level]. The change has been approved, and I want to catch up properly. Could you tell me which topics and assignments the class has completed, what I should prioritize this week, and whether there is any coursework I need to begin or recover? I can show you what I studied previously if that helps.
If you are moving between levels of the same subject, say:
I have changed from [SL/HL] to [HL/SL]. Could we check which content, skills, or assessments differ and agree on what I need to complete next?
Keep the conversation focused. If the teacher is about to begin a lesson, ask when you can return for a five-minute discussion instead of trying to resolve everything at the classroom door.
What your teacher needs to know
Give information that affects your learning rather than a lengthy explanation of why you switched. Include:
- Your previous subject and level
- The date the change became effective
- Topics and assessments already completed
- Relevant skills or prerequisite knowledge
- Any confirmed school catch-up deadline
- Areas in which you currently feel least prepared
Be honest about gaps. Saying, “I have not studied this topic yet” gives the teacher a concrete problem to address, while pretending to understand can create larger difficulties later.
Questions to ask about catching up
Do not leave with only a general instruction to “catch up.” Ask questions that turn the backlog into specific tasks.
Content and resources
- Which units, texts, chapters, or case studies has the class completed?
- Which missed topics are prerequisites for the current unit?
- What should I learn first, and what can wait?
- Which notes, textbook pages, recordings, or practice questions should I use?
- How will we decide that I have caught up sufficiently?
Assessment and coursework
- Which tests, essays, practicals, oral tasks, or projects have I missed?
- Must I complete every task or only selected work?
- Has the class begun internal assessment preparation?
- Are there school checkpoints for proposals, drafts, data collection, or practical work?
- When should each required task be completed?
Teachers distinguish between routine class practice and required assessed work. This matters because completing every missed worksheet may be less urgent than learning foundational material or meeting an internal deadline.
Confirm the change with your DP coordinator
Your teacher manages subject learning, but the DP coordinator normally handles programme structure and school approval. Subject and level changes are approved by the school, and schools set their own procedures and deadlines.
Confirm:
- Whether the change has final approval
- Whether space and timetable access are available
- Whether your HL and SL combination remains valid
- Whether fees or new materials are required
- Whether the switch affects university prerequisites
- Whether teachers have received the updated class list
Permission from a teacher to attend a lesson does not necessarily mean the administrative change is complete. Follow your approved timetable until the school confirms otherwise.
Check that your Diploma combination still works
The IB’s Diploma Programme curriculum overview states that Diploma students study six subjects alongside the DP core. Students take three or four subjects at higher level, with the remaining subjects at standard level.
The general structure covers Groups 1-5. The sixth subject is normally an arts subject from Group 6 or another permitted subject from Groups 1-4, depending on combination rules and school availability.
| Group | General subject area |
|---|---|
| Group 1 | Studies in language and literature |
| Group 2 | Language acquisition |
| Group 3 | Individuals and societies |
| Group 4 | Sciences |
| Group 5 | Mathematics |
| Group 6 | The arts, or an eligible additional subject |
Environmental systems and societies (ESS) is interdisciplinary and can satisfy the Diploma requirements for both Groups 3 and 4. The IB confirms this classification on its official ESS subject page. Your coordinator must still verify that the complete six-subject combination is valid.
The IB’s example Diploma subject choices are illustrations, not combinations guaranteed at every school. Availability depends on staffing, class capacity, timetable blocks, and school policy.
Turn the conversation into a catch-up plan
Before leaving, repeat the priorities back to your teacher. For example: “I will review Units 1 and 2, complete the required practical by Friday, and bring questions to Tuesday’s support session.” This lets the teacher correct misunderstandings immediately.
Organize work by urgency:
| Priority | What belongs here |
|---|---|
| First | Current lesson prerequisites and immediate deadlines |
| Next | Required assessments, practical work, and coursework checkpoints |
| Later | Lower-priority exercises and extension material |
A RevisionDojo Study Planner can divide missed topics into manageable sessions. Use the Questionbank and subject resources only after checking that they match your subject, level, and syllabus. The free RevisionDojo plan can support planning without replacing instructions from your school.
Common mistakes after switching
Avoid apologizing repeatedly or describing yourself as “bad” at the subject. A precise account of what you know and do not know is more useful.
Other mistakes include:
- Waiting several lessons before introducing yourself
- Assuming the teacher knows when or why you switched
- Asking for “everything” without setting priorities
- Completing optional work before urgent assessment tasks
- Ignoring differences between HL and SL
- Assuming one teacher’s permission confirms the entire change
- Failing to check university subject prerequisites
If the workload appears impossible, tell your teacher and coordinator promptly. They can clarify what is essential, but they need to know that the plan is becoming unmanageable.
Conclusion
When meeting a new teacher after switching, introduce yourself, state the approved change, summarize your prior learning, and request prioritized catch-up and coursework instructions. Confirm deadlines, timetable access, your subject combination, and possible fees with the DP coordinator.
RevisionDojo can then help you organize the agreed work. Create a free RevisionDojo account, enter your new subject and May 2028 exam date in the Study Planner, and add the first three tasks identified by your teacher.