Mixed Age Classes at Ashby Hill Top Primary School

​At Ashby Hill Top our Pupil Admission Number (PAN) is 45. Schools usually work on an average class size of around 30 pupils with no more than 30 in an infant class (apart from in very exceptional circumstances). A mixed age class is a class in which there are children who are from more than one-year group within the same classroom. At Hill Top, children from Year 1 to 6 are taught in mixed age classes.
 
Our class structure is as follows:

• 2 EYFS classes: 45 children (Children are taught in an open plan base)
• 3 Year 1/2 classes: 30 children in each, 90 in total
• 3 Year 3/4 classes: 30 children in each, 90 in total
• 3 Year 5/6 classes: 30 children in each, 90 in total

 
Staff in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 are very experienced and are aware of the complexities of teaching mixed classes. They work extremely hard to ensure that teaching is always effective.

Mixed age classes have the following benefits:

• There are increased opportunities for flexibility in groupings, enabling learners to work with the appropriate ability, regardless of age
• Children are viewed as unique individuals; a mixed age class lends itself specifically to this approach
• The teacher focuses on teaching each child according to his or her own strengths – learning is highly personalised
• Mixed-age classes encourage a spirit of co-operation where learners are more likely to support each other than compete
• Giving older learners the chance to support younger learners socially builds their confidence and leadership skills. The younger learners also benefit as they see their older peers modelling positive, mature behaviours
• Older children model more sophisticated approaches to problem solving, and younger children are able to accomplish tasks more effectively because of the modelling by older children. This dynamic also increases the older child’s level of independence, confidence and competence

Challenges and Solutions

Teachers of mixed age classes face the challenge of responding to a wide diversity of learners within their classroom - this is the norm in any primary classroom and high quality teaching and learning successfully addresses the full range of diversity.
 
Teachers skilfully weave the curricula together to cater for all learners, creating a bespoke experience that is tailored to the class and the individuals within it. Areas of learning are regularly revised and revisited in English and Maths - most themes having significant overlap between year groups (e.g. addition in maths and prefixes in spelling taught across all year groups, at different levels. This is the case with most of the Maths and English curriculum. Where there is no overlap of content, specific year group objectives will be planned and delivered separately. In some areas (e.g. Year 3 Mass and Capacity and Year 4 Position and Direction), we use a two year rolling program. Most lessons take place as a whole class although staff plan creatively so that pupils are taught what they need in the way that will help them learn best.
 
We will work on a rolling programme of topics and themes. This is monitored and tracked by subject leaders to ensure full coverage is achieved. Foundation subject expectations are set out over a Key Stage, with the additional flexibility to deliver content earlier or later, based on the learners’ needs. The content taught is aligned fully with the National Curriculum for each age group, so where the National Curriculum gives single year group objectives, these will be covered by the correct year group. This ensures that learning is progressive for all learners.

How do we achieve the best outcomes? 

By doing what we do well every day!

• The teacher is a facilitator and a coach, in addition to being an instructor, they have excellent relationships with the children in their class​
• Learners in each age group engage in learning tasks appropriate to their level of learning, as appropriate
• A socially collaborative classroom is encouraged: children help each other and collaborate flexibly
• Flexible grouping is skilfully used: learning is flexibly organised in the whole class and includes adult-led groups, individuals within groups, collaborative groups, and individuals under the supervision and knowledge of the teacher
• Overarching Theme/Topic: The same general topic/theme in the same subject is covered for all learners, they all receive the same entitlement
• The quality of the learning tasks is high: There are a range of opportunities for open-ended, explorative, and problem-oriented learning and well as acquiring factual knowledge
• Formative assessment is used well: To observe and diagnose how a learner is learning and is intended to improve teaching and learning
• Opportunities created for working with single age groups: where this is appropriate, both socially and academically