Curriculum Prioritisation for mixed-age whole-class teaching

For schools with mixed Year 3/4 or Year 5/6 classes, teaching the national curriculum in a coherent, connected way can be a challenge. The NCETM’s two-year rolling programme, available to schools engaged in the Teaching for Mastery Programme with their local Maths Hub, offers a practical solution.

Mixed-age whole-class teaching, planned over two years

The materials provide a structured learning pathway through the lower and upper Key Stage 2 curriculum. Built around the NCETM Curriculum Prioritisation units and grounded in the ready-to-progress criteria from the DfE Mathematics Guidance: Key Stages 1 and 2, the programme supports whole-class mixed-age teaching across two year groups.

Each mixed-age class follows a clearly-sequenced plan:

• Year A and Year B sequences for both Years 3/4 and Years 5/6
• National Curriculum objectives are covered over two years
• All pupils learn together in the same lesson — no split planning, no need to differentiate by year group

The approach is designed to support discussion, reasoning and collaboration. Pupils move through the curriculum together, developing deep understanding through shared mathematical experiences.

Read case studies of schools in different contexts successfully implementing the NCETM’s two-year programme in mixed-age settings.

Curriculum alignment and flexibility

The programme is fully aligned with the National Curriculum in England: mathematics programmes of study. While the curriculum is set out year-by-year, schools are required to ensure that pupils have met the objectives by the end of the key stage. This gives schools flexibility to sequence content in a way that best suits their context.

The two-year rolling programme respects that flexibility while offering a clear, connected route through the curriculum that is both manageable for teachers and meaningful for pupils.

Find out more

To explore how your school can access the two-year rolling programme for mixed-age classes, contact your local Maths Hub. They can support you to get started and help you make the approach work in your setting.