MIXED AGED CLASSES


Lots of schools in Lancashire have classes where the children’s age range is larger than one year. This is not

a new situation for schools who have successfully educated children in mixed age classes for a number of

years. The reason classes are organised in this way is because schools are funded per pupil, resulting in

year groups that may have too few pupils for one teacher or sometimes too many. As a result pupils will

sometimes need to be grouped with either older or younger pupils. Here at St Oswald’s, due to the size of

the school, the number of pupils we can admit in any year is 20 so at some time during their time here

pupils will be in classes with either younger or older pupils.


A considerable amount of research has been carried out on the impact of mixed aged classes on children’s

achievement. This research indicates that children make the same or better progress in mixed age classes

than those children in the same age classes. Also children in mixed age classes have significantly more

positive attitudes towards school, themselves and others.


The Association for Childhood Educational International (ACEI) lists a number of benefits of mixed age

classes. These include:


 Children’s needs are more accurately met as the teacher focuses on teaching each child according

to his/her strengths


 Children learn at their own rate and have more opportunity to take charge of their learning. This

sense of ownership and self direction is the foundation for life long learning.


 Children develop a sense of family with their classmates. They become a ‘family of learners’ who

support and care for each other.


 Older children have the opportunity to take leadership roles.


 Children are more likely to cooperate than compete.


 Older children model more sophisticated approaches to problem solving and younger children are

able to accomplish tasks they could not do without the assistance of older children.


In all our classes we ensure there is a good level of interaction between children as well as an atmosphere

of cooperation. Due to careful planning you can be assured that all children in the class will have full

coverage of the national curriculum and no child will be at risk of repeating topics. Pupils’ progress is

tracked extremely carefully over each half term as well as individual development and attainment. Work is

differentiated appropriately, not just according to age but also at the appropriate level ensuring that

children move onto the next stage of their learning according to when they are ready.

Lots of schools in Lancashire have classes where the children’s age range is larger than one year. This is not

a new situation for schools who have successfully educated children in mixed age classes for a number of

years. The reason classes are organised in this way is because schools are funded per pupil, resulting in

year groups that may have too few pupils for one teacher or sometimes too many. As a result pupils will

sometimes need to be grouped with either older or younger pupils. Here at St Oswald’s, due to the size of

the school, the number of pupils we can admit in any year is 20 so at some time during their time here

pupils will be in classes with either younger or older pupils.


A considerable amount of research has been carried out on the impact of mixed aged classes on children’s

achievement. This research indicates that children make the same or better progress in mixed age classes

than those children in the same age classes. Also children in mixed age classes have significantly more

positive attitudes towards school, themselves and others.


The Association for Childhood Educational International (ACEI) lists a number of benefits of mixed age

classes. These include:


 Children’s needs are more accurately met as the teacher focuses on teaching each child according

to his/her strengths


 Children learn at their own rate and have more opportunity to take charge of their learning. This

sense of ownership and self direction is the foundation for life long learning.


 Children develop a sense of family with their classmates. They become a ‘family of learners’ who

support and care for each other.


 Older children have the opportunity to take leadership roles.


 Children are more likely to cooperate than compete.


 Older children model more sophisticated approaches to problem solving and younger children are

able to accomplish tasks they could not do without the assistance of older children.


In all our classes we ensure there is a good level of interaction between children as well as an atmosphere

of cooperation. Due to careful planning you can be assured that all children in the class will have full

coverage of the national curriculum and no child will be at risk of repeating topics. Pupils’ progress is

tracked extremely carefully over each half term as well as individual development and attainment. Work is

differentiated appropriately, not just according to age but also at the appropriate level ensuring that

children move onto the next stage of their learning according to when they are ready.


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