Stories of practice in primary science from mixed-age classes

Grouping children into classes where their ages span more than a year is a common, yet under-researched, area of practice. In order to provide an insight into current practice in primary science, five teachers from Scotland and one teacher from England share examples from their schools. As a collaborative article, teachers are co-authors, with a visible voice within the text. The stories of practice share common themes, such as the opportunities for practical work in open-ended enquiries or challenges, which provide an accessible means of teaching science to mixed-age classes. Authors also note the difficulties of repeating content or deciding on the most appropriate grouping for children with different levels of maturity. The stories of practice largely take a positive stance, with authors sharing examples of how they have created successful primary science teaching experiences.