Mixed-age mastery – making it work in KS2

The school context

St Peter’s CE Primary School is located in the centre of Harrogate, North Yorkshire. With over 250 pupils on roll and nine classes, it serves a diverse community - 29 languages are spoken, and pupil mobility is high. The school includes a mix of single and mixed-age classes, including two mixed Year 5/6 classes. Emily Crankshaw is assistant headteacher, maths lead, and a Cohort 3 NCETM Primary Mastery Specialist. She worked with her local Maths Hub, Yorkshire Ridings, and the NCETM to co-develop a two-year rolling programme designed specifically for mixed-age KS2 classes.

The classroom challenge

Before implementing the new approach, the school identified several barriers to effective mastery teaching in mixed-age classes. Planning and delivery were time-consuming. Teachers were splitting lessons between year groups, doubling their workload and reducing the amount of time available to go deep into concepts. In practice, this meant that pupils weren’t getting enough curriculum time to fully explore and secure key mathematical ideas. Staff confidence was another concern. 

Not all teachers were confident in mastery pedagogy, particularly in how to adapt teaching for a mixed-age class. Support staff, too, were often supervising rather than supporting active learning. The school also noticed that fluency in additive and multiplicative facts was underdeveloped, limiting progression across KS2. Leaders wanted a more coherent and sustainable approach that would give all pupils time to develop secure understanding.

Overcoming the challenges

St Peter’s trialled the new two-year rolling programme, using the NCETM Curriculum Prioritisation materials. This meant one maths lesson was taught to the whole class each day, rather than separate inputs for each year group. Professional development was a key part of the implementation strategy. CPD was prioritised in the school development plan, and all staff received training in adaptive teaching and mastery approaches. The school’s trust, Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust, also ensured that teachers had access to relevant CPD. Teachers worked together, with their local Maths Hub, to plan, review and adapt the sequencing of the curriculum. 

The new model reduced planning load, allowed for greater use of representations and reasoning, and created more space in the timetable for in-depth mathematical discussion. Support staff were deployed more effectively, working with the teacher during lessons rather than acting as supervisors. The shift created a more inclusive and focused classroom environment. To further strengthen pupil fluency, the school introduced Mastering Number at KS1 and KS2. They also collaborated with a local secondary maths specialist to build greater understanding of how learning progresses beyond Year 6.

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF)’s A School’s Guide to Implementation was used to structure and review the process. Leaders were able to reflect on the impact and plan strategically for sustainability and improvement.

The overall impact

Teachers now have greater subject knowledge and confidence. Staff report feeling more secure in their understanding of mastery pedagogy, and there is a consistent approach across all classrooms - from planning and use of representations to expectations and mathematical language. Pupils benefit from longer, more focused maths lessons, with more opportunities to explore and reason. 
Concepts are taught in depth, without the disruption of switching between year groups.

The consistency of approach across the school has made it easier for new staff to embed themselves in the culture of teaching for mastery. Teaching assistants are more actively involved in lessons, and pupils show increased confidence in their learning. The school's next focus is on developing procedural variation within daily practice and ensuring all new teachers are trained and supported in this approach.

Ofsted commented in the school’s recent inspection:
"The school has developed an ambitious curriculum. Leaders have thought carefully about how to plan for the mixed-age classes. This has had a positive impact in many subjects. For example, the curriculum for mathematics is well planned and sequenced. Pupils benefit from a structured approach to lessons. They have opportunities to revisit prior learning and to build on this with new knowledge."

Teachers’ top tips

• Prioritise time for professional development when embedding a new approach
• Use the Curriculum Prioritisation materials to plan for coherence and depth
• Trial the approach and review with staff to adapt to your context
• Ensure support staff are fully involved in lessons, not just supervising
• Use external frameworks like the EEF Guide to Implementation to guide planning and review

Start your own school’s journey

Schools with mixed-age settings can access planning resources and leadership videos by engaging in the Teaching for Mastery Programme with their local Maths Hub. These materials are designed to support leaders and teachers at every stage of their journey. Hear reflections from Paul Griffiths, headteacher, and Emily Crankshaw, assistant headteacher and maths lead, in the leadership video below,  where they discuss the implementation of the Curriculum Prioritisation mixed-age two-year rolling programme.