Is it normal for the BH to have dropped at 88% with only 231 cycles???

A reduction of 12% battery health for 231 full charge cycles is indeed greater than might be anticipated. Excluding other factors that can influence battery health over time, on the basis of charge cycles alone, you might reasonably expect ~5% reduction.

"Battery health" is influenced by many factors - this value not necessarily declining in a linear fashion.

An iPad battery is rated to retain 80% of its original capacity (when new) after 1000 full recharge cycles. Any combination of charging that together sums to 100% equates to one full charge cycle (e.g., 50% + 20% + 20% + 10% = 100% = 1 full charge cycle).

As such, you might reasonably anticipate that battery health will decline by 1% for each 50 full charge cycles. Assuming a linear change in reported value, a battery health of ~95% might be expected in nominal conditions.

Other factors can influence overall battery health. High ambient temperatures can permanently reduce the battery's ability to retain full charge - as can maintaining the battery at 100% charge for very long periods of time that leads to chemical aging of the battery. Limiting the battery charge to ~80% of maximum is intended to reduce the chemical aging effect.

Information about iPad’s battery management can be found here:

About iPad and iPhone Charge Management Feature – Apple Support

Independent studies have demonstrated that for devices in regular use, restricting charging to only 80% of maximum has little if any impact upon the overall longevity or health of the iPad's battery. There is no need to micromanage an iPad's charging strategies.

Using your iPad while connected to its Power Adapter will also do no harm - but will instead usefully extend the lifespan of your iPad's battery; when connected and used while connected to its Power Adapter, the iPad will be using external power to run instead of using battery power alone. When just using the iPad on battery power, you will need to recharge more often - adding to the cumulative number of charge cycles that inevitably contribute to a reduction in battery health.

If you have any concerns for your iPad or its Battery Health you would be well advised to seek assistance directly from Apple Support - and request a remote diagnostic test of your iPad. You can contact the Support Team using the Support link at top-right or bottom-left of this page.

Alternatively, you can initiate and manage your support cases from Apple devices using the excellent Apple Support App. If not already installed, the App can be downloaded from the App Store:

https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-support/id1130498044

Where available, you might be well advised to visit the Genius Bar at your local Apple Store or Apple Authorised Service Provider (AASP) - where the technicians will be able to test and assess your iPad:

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

That's a bit lower than you'd expect, but the Battery Health % is only an estimate and can shift as it recalibrates. Keeping the limit at 80% is fine. Apple says it should hold 80% at 1,000 cycles, so if it keeps dropping fast, contact Apple Support, since it's still well within the one-year coverage period.

Correction to my note above: since it was bought in July 2025, it's past the one-year warranty, so a battery service would only be free with AppleCare+. Apple Support can still run a diagnostic and tell you the cost.