Useful strategies

• Varying the structure and approach across mathematics lessons: sometimes you might work together on a topic for a series of lessons, for example, when teaching aspects of measure. At other times, for number work for example, you might spend the bulk of the lesson in smaller groups (which are flexible, and not necessarily based on age) but start and end the lesson together with communal discussion and reflection. This can make mathematics teaching and learning more interesting for everyone: it is dull for both children and teacher if every lesson is identical.
• Capturing mathematical thinking is the core of learning mathematics https://nrich.maths.org/15140 . Using the end of a lesson to share how different children have been approaching a topic is an important way of making sense altogether, as well as an opportunity for us to assess progress. This is a powerful whole class experience at any age, as it leads to increased input and ownership by every child.
• Maths talks: starting a lesson or session with just a picture or image and using the image to inspire discussion, provides essential opportunities for children to listen, speak and reflect. Most slides and materials contain far too many words, so try stripping out the text and beginning by asking: “What do you see? What do you notice?” This encourages children of all ages and current understandings to participate. It is also useful for assessment, tuning-in our future teaching to prior knowledge.

• Pre-teaching involves anticipating likely sticking points of a forthcoming ‘difficult’ topic  and spending no more than 5 minutes prior to the lesson with younger learners introducing the topic and some key vocabulary. This study outlines the benefits of pre-teaching in assigning competence and confidence to children (Trundley 2018). For more information see also this YouTube webinar:

• Retrieval practice: re-visiting material with older children can provide ‘horizon knowledge’ of forthcoming mathematics for younger children, who hear vocabulary and build a rich breadth of experiences on which to build their future learning, while older children rehearse and re-learn what they are being taught.
• Overlearning opportunities involve revisiting and re-affirming the ‘basics’ while extending what has been taught. The learning of fractions is a good example where over-learning over a longer period of time can be particularly effective .

• Observation-led future teaching is focused on the sense children are making of what is being taught, as we spiral through material over time.
• Pairing younger children with older children promotes independence, and is an opportunity for explaining, re-visiting and retrieval for older children, as well as preparation for younger children e.g: “Can you help Louis organise our story vote today?”
• Using continuous provision provides opportunities for independent practice of taught ideas and sense-making, including for older children, allowing all to embed their learning by working alongside and explaining to others. See our guidance on continuous provision for mathematics.
• Considering assigning teaching assistants to subjects: if this is possible,  deeper knowledge of a subject gives these colleagues confidence and an overview of the subject which enables them to better support all learners.

Case study

Matt Curtis has taught in both Y5/Y6 and Y3/4 mixed year-group classes for 8 years, as well as the occasional Y1/2 class.

The biggest benefit I see teaching in classes of mixed year-groups is the opportunity to ‘overlearn’ when coming back to a concept that the older children have learnt before. It hugely helps to consolidate and deepen their understanding. I tend to pair up children from my older year-group with a partner from the younger year-group. Some great discussions take place, and I encourage the older children to advise and support their younger partners, as it takes a deep level of understanding for a child to help their partner grasp a concept without just giving them the answer or showing them what to do. When I first began teaching mixed year-group classes over eight years ago, I was worried that the children and I would become fed up with each other, but nothing could be further from the truth. I ended up knowing each child much better and understanding the longer learning journey they are on. It is also means that children do not need to go through that transitional getting-to-know-you phase with a new teacher. Whilst there are challenges in ‘fitting in’ the whole curriculum and trying to follow a scheme closely is almost impossible, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I hope this guidance and our experiences will take away the apprehension that many teachers have when it comes to teaching maths to a mixed year-group class.

Nunes, T., Bryant, P., Hurry, J., Pretzlik, U., Bell, D., & Evans, D. (2006), Teaching and learning research briefing no. 13, London, The Institute of Education. Fractions: Difficult but crucial in mathematics learning 

Sari, I. P., Suryadi, D., Herman, T. & Dahlan, J. A. (2024). Learning Obstacles on Fractions: A scoping review. Infinity Journal 13(2) 377-392

Trundley, R. (2018). Changing lives and providing equity through pre-teaching and assigning competence.  Mathematics Teaching 262: 31-34