{"id":245579,"date":"2026-04-29T07:47:22","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T06:47:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/?p=245579"},"modified":"2026-04-29T15:22:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T14:22:14","slug":"maths-pupils-make-slower-progress-in-mixed-ability-classes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/maths-pupils-make-slower-progress-in-mixed-ability-classes\/","title":{"rendered":"Maths pupils ‘make slower progress in mixed ability classes’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pupils in mixed-ability classes make slower progress in maths compared to those grouped by attainment, a new report suggests.<\/p>\n

Using sets for maths<\/a> also did not \u201csignificantly harm\u201d the attainment of students from poorer backgrounds, or those with low attainment earlier in school.<\/p>\n

The report was published by the Education Endowment Foundation<\/a> today, based on research conducted by the UCL Institute of Education. It investigated the impact of different ways of putting pupils in maths classes.<\/p>\n

The study compared the attainment and self-confidence of year 7 and 8 pupils taught in mixed-ability classes with those taught in sets between September 2022 and July 2024.<\/p>\n

Of the 97 schools that took part, 28 of them used mixed attainment groups while 69 used setting for maths.<\/p>\n

It found pupils in schools with mixed-ability classes made one month\u2019s less progress in maths compared to pupils who were grouped based on attainment.<\/p>\n

Pupils with higher previous attainment in maths made about two months\u2019 less progress when put in mixed ability classes rather than sets.<\/p>\n

But pupils with lower previous attainment and those from poorer backgrounds made similar progress regardless of whether they were taught in sets or not.<\/p>\n

‘Stretch opportunities’ needed in mixed-sets<\/h2>\n

The report recommended schools should make sure their specialist maths teachers don\u2019t just teach the top sets, and make it possible for pupils to move between sets based on attainment.<\/p>\n

Lesson observations suggested the content of mixed-ability classes was closer to what was taught in lower sets than higher sets in schools that grouped pupils by ability.<\/p>\n

The report also recommended that schools that continued to use mixed-attainment groups make sure teachers provide \u201cstretch opportunities\u201d for higher-achieving pupils.<\/p>\n

Becky Francis, CEO of the Education Endowment Foundation, called the study an \u201cimportant step forward\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"Photo
Becky Francis<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWhile this is something people have passionate views on, there\u2019s so much we don\u2019t know. Much of the existing evidence is from other contexts and countries.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese results contribute to our understanding of good practice in maths. We hope more research can expand our understanding on this important topic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Becky Taylor, of the UCL Institute of Education, said the study \u201cprovides the strongest evidence to date on attainment grouping in England and provides new insights into how mathematics teachers can support low and high attaining pupils whether in sets or mixed attainment groups”.<\/p>\n

The study also found negative effects on self-confidence in maths for students in mixed attainment schools compared to those in schools using setting, although the negative effects were small for the group as a whole.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Using sets for maths also did not &amp;amp;#039;significantly harm&amp;amp;#039; the attainment of students from poorer backgrounds, finds study<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":316072,"featured_media":245562,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[463],"post-theme":[2345],"class_list":["post-245579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-assessment","post-theme-assessment"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t