Nicole: Well, have a great... second, first day at school, honey.
Ms. Simian gets Gumball sent back to Kindergarten when she discovers a failed test that wasn't counted in his grade point average. Then she tries to get him back, because her job ends up on the line.
Tropes:
- Achievements in Ignorance: When Gumball tries to study, he has no idea where to start. When he tries to cheat, going over the material to write crib sheets lets him remember everything he needed to.
- Brilliant, but Lazy: The multiple attempts to cheat on the test end up being unnecessary, as Gumball, by actually applying himself to studying, learns enough to ace the test in five minutes.
- The Cameo: Penny's little sister Polly appears as one of the Kindergarteners.
- Cheaters Never Prosper: Gumball tries cheating on a test with Ms. Simian's help, but all their methods fail—he only passes the test because he decides to try it straight. Then Gumball accidentally blurts out Ms. Simian's confession that she once cheated on a test when she was in 8th grade, and she's sent back to his class as a student.
- A Day in the Limelight: For Miss Simian and Principal Brown.
- Friend to All Children: Gumball gets along rather well with all the other Kindergarteners once he starts having fun.
- Held Back in School: Gumball is forced to go back to Kindergarten after Ms. Simian found a failed test written by him. He takes a test to get back and passes, but Ms. Simian gets sent back to 8th grade when Principal Brown finds out she cheated back then.
- "Just So" Story: When she was Gumball's age, Miss Simian cheated on tests by scribbling the answers on cave walls. Thus we have the cave paintings of Lascaux
. - Laser-Guided Karma: Ms. Simian deliberately gets Gumball sent back to Kindergarten, but doing so decreases her class enough that, if she doesn't get Gumball back into her class (or at least get another student to replace him) by a certain deadline, she'll lose her job as a teacher. While Gumball does manage to get back into Miss Simian's class through honest means, Miss Simian herself ends up being forced to repeat 8th-grade after Principal Brown learns that she had cheated on a test back when she was in 8th-grade.
- Literal Metaphor: Ms Simian states Gumball needs to study like he's never studied before. Turns out he literally never studied before and doesn't know what to do past opening the book.
- Mathematician's Answer: In the newly-discovered test that Gumball failed, the critical question was a kindergarten-level math word problem: "I go to the store, and buy 10 hotdogs, 9 burgers, 3 bags of chips and 6 sodas. If I eat 9 hotdogs, 7 burgers, 3 bags of chips and drink 5 sodas, what do I have?" Gumball, either missing the point or just being a little smartass, answered "no self-control".
- My Country Tis of Thee That I Sting: After listing off all of the horrible things the Kindergarteners do, Gumball compares them to British touristsnote .
- Recycled Soundtrack: A short version of the song "You Gotta Think Big" from "The Genius" can be heard again when Gumball is taking and reading the books.
- Shout-Out: To Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone, Principal Brown has an evil wizard's face on the back of his head.
- Thousand-Yard Stare: Gumball spends his entire first day back to kindergarten frozen in place with a blank traumatized stare.
- Two-Teacher School: Gumball's class at some point graduated from 7th grade to 8th, but still have Ms. Simian as their teacher.
- Unishment: Ms. Simian delights in sending Gumball back to Kindergarten, which is initially a terrible experience for him. Once Gumball realizes he has no homework and can do ridiculous things never allowed anywhere else, he enjoys himself immensely. When Ms. Simian has to get him back to keep her job, Gumball only agrees out of pity.Gumball: I love it here! Everyone looks up to me. I mean, mainly 'cause of the height difference, but it's still a good feeling.
Ms. Simian: (dumbfounded) Huh?! How can you enjoy it here?
Gumball: It's a world of scheduled naps times, optional pants, and food you don't need to chew.
Ms. Simian: (annoyed) You just described a retirement home.
Gumball: Exactly! I get to retire without even having a job! - The Un-Smile: The episode opens with Principal Brown walking in on Miss Simian smiling. He doesn't recognize it for what it is and he's horrified.Brown: It looks like you're trying to eat your chin!
