Description
Multi-age classes include students from 2 or more year levels taught together in the same classroom. Multi-age classes can offer flexibility in enrolment. This is particularly important in rural or small schools where fluctuating numbers may require combining year levels, and in doing so, ensure all students have access to appropriate curriculum content. The decision to create multi-age classes can depend on philosophical choice, enrolment patterns, geographical location, resources and student needs. A planned whole-school approach helps ensure learning is coherent, developmentally appropriate and inclusive.
Key points
- School leaders play a key role in deciding the best approach to multi-age planning for their school, considering curriculum, assessment and reporting requirements.
- School leaders support teachers by facilitating professional learning and collaboration opportunities, and establishing clear communication with families.
- The Australian Curriculum structure varies by learning area, enabling flexible approaches to curriculum sequencing in multi-age settings.
- Planning for multi-age classes may involve using different implementation models; for example, the conceptual threads model, A/B model and split models.
- Aspect overview
- Guiding questions and AITSL standards
- Conceptual threads model
- A/B model
- Split models
- Support resources
- Aspect in action
- Research and further reading
Planning for learning in multi-age classes is complex. It requires collaboration among teachers, knowledge of the curriculum structure, careful sequencing of content, and an agreed approach to recording and evaluating curriculum plans. When school and curriculum leaders have a clear understanding of the different approaches to managing curriculum, they are better able to lead whole-school curriculum planning in multi-age contexts. A suggested process for whole-school planning is described in the support resources section of this aspect.
Multi-age models
There are several approaches that can be taken to plan for learning using the Australian Curriculum in a multi-age context. These are proposed as models for curriculum planning and implementation. School and curriculum leaders may consider and use these models when initiating discussions with teachers and staff on the most suitable approach for their context. School and curriculum leaders improve the efficacy of these models when they:
- support teachers to understand the structure of the Australian Curriculum
- facilitate a shared understanding of the way in which curriculum will be managed
- organise professional learning opportunities that meet teachers’ needs
- develop school-based templates for recording and planning
- establish clear methods of communication with staff and families.
Three models of whole-school curriculum planning are outlined in this advice:
- Conceptual threads model
- A/B model
- Split model
The overview of curriculum planning models for multi-age classes outlines these models and highlights focus areas for each model, approaches to student groupings, collaboration requirements for teachers and impacts on curriculum sequencing.
Curriculum structure
The structure of the Australian Curriculum learning areas varies to support schools and teachers in managing content across year and band levels. The learning areas of English, HASS, Mathematics and Science include achievement standards and content descriptions for each year level F–10. The learning areas of HPE, Languages, Technologies and The Arts include achievement standards and content descriptions for the Foundation year and then for 2-year band levels.
In banded learning areas, all achievement standards and content descriptions are ideally addressed across a 2-year band of learning. Learning may be sequenced across both years. Schools make decisions about what learning may be important to reinforce or consolidate across the band level/s in different contexts.
In year level-based learning areas, all achievement standards and content descriptions are typically addressed within a single year of schooling. Learning is sequenced across the calendar year. In multi-age settings, decisions are made about the timing and approach to managing the curriculum across a span of years for year level–based learning areas.
Tools, such as the related content links for content descriptions on the Australian Curriculum website, provide guidance on the connections between learning areas within a year level. These links make it easier to create integrated learning experiences that bring together content from different learning areas. This helps students make deeper connections and see the relevance of their learning across the curriculum.
School and curriculum leaders may also consider other curriculum leadership aspects to support the development of a whole-school approach to planning for multi-age classes. Consider the following questions when making decisions about existing approaches and meeting the needs of staff, when developing a whole-school approach to planning for and implementing the Australian Curriculum within multi-age settings.
Building teacher capability
How do you support teachers to build their understanding of curriculum planning in multi-age classes?
Using the Australian Curriculum
How will strengthening teacher knowledge and confidence in using the curriculum support planning in multi-age classes?
Sequencing learning
How does strengthening teachers’ curriculum expertise enhance their capacity to design effective learning sequences for multi-age classes?
Including all learners
How will we support teachers to use the curriculum effectively to plan for all learners in multi-age classes?
Aligning curriculum and assessment
What additional support will teachers need to ensure their assessment design is curriculum aligned when planning for multi-age classes?
Engaging with community
How would engaging with different community groups in your area support teachers to include learning focused on real-world contexts in multi-age classes?
Evaluating resources
How does building curriculum expertise enable teachers to make good decisions about which resources will be most effective in multi-age classes?
Reflect–Act–Evaluate cycle
The Reflect–Act–Evaluate cycle is a practical framework designed to support continuous improvement. It encourages thoughtful engagement by guiding leaders through 3 key phases.
Reflect: this phase invites leaders to pause and consider current practices, beliefs and outcomes. It promotes deeper understanding by asking, “What is happening?” and “Why is it happening?” before moving to action.
Act: based on insights gained through reflection, this phase focuses on intentional decision-making and implementation. It asks, “What will we do?” and “How will we do it?” to ensure actions are purposeful and aligned with school priorities.
Evaluate: after action is taken, this phase supports review and learning. It prompts leaders to ask, “What changed?” and “What did we learn?” to assess impact and inform future cycles of improvement.
Figure 1: The Reflect–Act–Evaluate cycle
Guiding questions
The guiding questions in the accordions below are structured around the ‘Reflect–Act–Evaluate' cycle to help school and curriculum leaders reflect on current approaches to curriculum implementation and lead discussions with teachers. School and curriculum leaders should select from these questions to support decision-making and discussions when reflecting on, actioning and evaluating a whole-school approach to planning using the Australian Curriculum in multi-age settings.
Reflect How do we plan for multi-age classes in ways that reflect our school’s needs and context?
Act What strategic processes need to be implemented or strengthened to determine the suitability, structure and organisation of multi-age classes in our school context?
Evaluate How effectively did our multi-age class structure and organisation respond to (or reflect) our school’s context and students’ needs?
Reflect How do we help teachers design effective learning sequences for multi-age classes?
Act What structures will support teachers in designing differentiated and developmentally appropriate learning sequences?
Evaluate How successfully did we help teachers design effective, differentiated learning for multi-age classes?
Reflect How do we ensure multi-age classes cover the full curriculum without gaps or unnecessary repetition?
Act What curriculum mapping processes can be used to ensure comprehensive coverage across year levels in multi-age classes?
Evaluate How effectively did our curriculum mapping processes ensure full coverage and avoid repetition across year levels in multi-age classrooms?
Reflect What professional learning and resources effectively support the implementation of a conceptual threads model?
Act How can we design professional learning and allocate resources that support cross-curricular, concept-driven learning?
Evaluate How effectively did our professional learning and resource allocation support the implementation of conceptual threads across learning areas?
Reflect How do we sequence content descriptions and achievement standards across year levels to develop whole-school plans using conceptual threads?
Act How can we map achievement standards and content descriptions to ensure coherent progression through conceptual threads across all year levels?
Evaluate To what extent did our whole-school plans demonstrate developmental progression and conceptual continuity across all learning areas?
Reflect What timetabling, resources and supports are needed for the chosen model?
Act How can we structure timetables and allocate resources to support consistent implementation of the chosen model?
Evaluate How effectively did our timetables and supports enable the model to function effectively and consistently across multi-age classes?
Reflect How do we introduce the chosen model and support teachers in using it?
Act What professional learning and collaborative structures will best support teachers in implementing the chosen model?
Evaluate How successfully were teachers prepared for and supported to use the chosen model?
Reflect How do we create a whole-school plan using the chosen model?
Act How can we ensure whole-school curriculum planning aligns with the structure and intent of the chosen model?
Evaluate How coherent and aligned were teaching and learning programs using the chosen model across the school?
Reflect What do families need to know to understand our multi-age model and how learning is organised in our context?
Act What information will we provide so families have a clear and accurate understanding of the purpose, structure and expectations of our multi-age model?
Evaluate What evidence indicates that families clearly understand the purpose, structure and expectations of our school's chosen multi-age model?
Reflect How well do we keep all families informed about how our school’s chosen model of multi-age education is working?
Act How can we ensure communication about our school’s multi-age model is regular, clear and accessible for all families?
Evaluate How well have our communication processes ensured all families receive regular, clear and accessible information about our multi-age approach?
AITSL standards
School and curriculum leaders make decisions about the curriculum implementation model that will be most effective in their school context. These decisions will also be informed by state and territory requirements related to assessment and reporting to families.
The information that follows outlines the relevant standards from the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) Australian Professional Standard for Principals, Australian Professional Standards for Middle Leaders and the Australian Professional Standards for teachers: Lead career stage. These standards have been identified to support school and curriculum leaders in implementing whole school approaches to planning for multi-age classes.
Professional Practice: Leading teaching and learning
- Principals create a positive culture of challenge and support, enabling effective teaching that promotes enthusiastic, independent learners, committed to lifelong learning. Principals have a key responsibility for developing a culture of effective teaching, for leading, designing and managing the quality of teaching and learning and for students’ achievement in all aspects of their development. They set high expectations for the whole school through careful collaborative planning, monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of learning. Principals set high standards of behaviour and attendance, encouraging active engagement and a strong student voice.
Professional Practice: Leading improvement, innovation and change
- Principals work with others to produce and implement clear, evidence-based improvement plans and policies for the development of the school and its facilities. They recognise that a crucial part of the role is to lead and manage innovation and change to ensure the vision and strategic plan is put into action across the school and that its goals and intentions are realised.
Core standards
Standard 4 Coordinating high-impact teaching and learning
- Middle leaders can have responsibilities for coordinating the delivery of quality programs of instruction to build students’ content knowledge and skills with high expectations of student progress and achievement. Practices within this standard align curriculum, pedagogy and assessment to meet learner needs and maximise learning progress for all learners. In demonstrating the practices described in this standard the middle leader will draw, in particular, on deep knowledge of evidence based teaching practices combined with educational insights from cognitive science and other research on how students learn. They will also draw on their knowledge of curriculum content, progressions and assessment to enable student learning progress to be monitored and improved over time.
4a Curriculum
- Providing a clear, structured and knowledge rich curriculum with high expectations of systematically building students’ content knowledge, skills and understandings to enable learning progress for all students.
4b Pedagogy
- Prioritising the use of effective, evidence based teaching strategies and application of insights from cognitive science and other research on how students learn, to optimise systematic deep learning through effective pedagogical practices.
4c Assessment
- Ensuring a program of assessment which provides timely and valid data to enable student learning progress to be monitored to inform teaching and continued learning.
Standard 5 Leading improvement in teaching practice
- Leading improvement through collaboration and teamwork is central to the work of middle leaders. Middle leaders are often key to implementing the school’s instructional improvement agenda, using their understanding of research evidence about improvement combined with their deep knowledge of school data. They work collaboratively with staff to implement actions to improve teaching and learning and cultivate a sense of collective efficacy. Middle leaders have a strong focus on continuous professional learning for themselves and their staff, with a focus on supporting classroom implementation of evidence-based practice. They provide support and challenge through provision of constructive feedback while collaborating with staff to improve practice and amplify impact which may occur through a model of mentoring, coaching and professional inquiry.
5c Collaborative practice
- Leveraging collaborative practice to monitor and improve the impact of teaching on student learning and wellbeing.
Professional Knowledge
Standard 2 Know the content and how to teach it
2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area
- Lead initiatives within the school to evaluate and improve knowledge of content and teaching strategies and demonstrate exemplary teaching of subjects using effective, research-based learning and teaching programs.
2.2 Content selection and organisation
- Lead initiatives that utilise comprehensive content knowledge to improve the selection and sequencing of content into coherently organised learning and teaching programs.
2.3 Curriculum, assessment and reporting
- Lead colleagues to develop learning and teaching programs using comprehensive knowledge of curriculum, assessment and reporting requirements.
Professional Practice
Standard 3 Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning
3.1 Establish challenging learning goals
- Demonstrate exemplary practice and high expectations and lead colleagues to encourage students to pursue challenging goals in all aspects of their education.
3.2 Plan, structure and sequence learning programs
- Exhibit exemplary practice and lead colleagues to plan, implement and review the effectiveness of their learning and teaching programs to develop students’ knowledge, understanding and skills.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers Lead Career Stage
Description
The term “conceptual threads” was developed by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) as part of the work undertaken to support schools implementing the Australian Curriculum. The term conceptual threads identifies the clear statements that show how concepts within the Australian Curriculum are connected across multiple year levels in a specific learning area. Conceptual threads are like bridges that connect concepts from a learning area across different year levels, making learning more coherent and meaningful. For example:
- in Humanities and Social Sciences F–6, concepts such as continuity and change or interconnections may be identified to establish connections between year levels
- in Science, concepts relating to the interdependence of biological systems and their response to change, or Earth comprising dynamic and interdependent systems that change over time, may support the connections between year levels
- in Technologies, concepts such as interactions and impacts involve examining relationships between components of technologies’ systems, sustainability and the effect of design decisions on users.
Teachers use conceptual threads when planning learning areas or multidisciplinary units, but they can also be used in broader school or year-level planning. The conceptual threads can be drawn from the organisation of the Australian Curriculum, year level descriptions, achievement standards, content descriptions, or from school and community contexts.
Understanding a curriculum planning process in a multi-age setting using the Conceptual Threads model.
Conceptual threads are clear statements that show how concepts within the Australian curriculum are connected across multiple year levels.
These concepts help link learning from one year to the next.
Teachers use Conceptual threads when undertaking whole school curriculum planning, year level planning and lesson planning.
Conceptual threads connect common concepts, skills and content across different year levels, making learning more coherent and meaningful.
The conceptual threads can be drawn from organisation of the Australian Curriculum, year level descriptions, achievement standards, content descriptions and school and community contexts.
Additional information which may support teachers to identify conceptual threads can be located in the “Understand this learning area” section on the Australian curriculum website.
The benefits of the Conceptual Thread model includes being suitable for all schools, but particularly well suited to small schools.
It is flexible and adaptable, seamlessly integrating with a whole school focus or approach to learning.
It also enables connections to all three dimensions of the Australian Curriculum.
Considerations when using a Conceptual Thread model include thoughtful planning and awareness of continuity of learning across year levels.
Teachers should think about how teaching a particular unit this year might impact the same students when they encounter similar content in the following year.
The goal is to prevent repetition and ensure that students build upon their knowledge rather than revisiting the same material.
Some learning content may need to be taught separately to specific year levels.
Teachers must carefully plan the learning sequences to maintain a logical progression of concepts.
The Australian Curriculum website functionality supports planning using a Conceptual Threads model with the alignment of the achievement standards to content descriptions.
It also supports identification of the connections between the three dimensions of the Australian Curriculum through the use of icons and slide-out windows.
ACARA's Curriculum connections resources support educators by providing multiple pathways to search, access and organise content to support learning.
Information and resources for each Curriculum connection can be found in the Resources section of the Australian Curriculum website.
An additional key feature of the website supporting planning for multi-age classes is the side-by-side view of multiple year levels.
This functionality supports identifying the conceptual threads between year levels.
When undertaking curriculum planning using a Conceptual Threads model, start with identifying the achievement standards and content descriptions for your chosen learning area and year levels.
Then determine the conceptual threads that connect concepts across the different year levels.
And finally, plan your learning sequence and assessment opportunities. Consider the learning area that the learning sequence will be developed for and identify the focus of the achievement standard for each year level.
Copy from the website and place into a planning document.
Highlight the parts of the achievement standard in focus.
This is an example of the learning area of Science in a Year 5/6 class. The highlights pick up on the interrelated strands of Science, Understanding, Science as a human endeavour and Science enquiry.
Identify the content descriptions that will enable learners to reach the learning outcomes in the relevant parts of the achievement standard. Add these to the planning document for science.
The structure information in the “Understand this learning area” section may also support identification of conceptual threads.
Viewing the year level description side by side on the website, this example shows that the conceptual thread relating to Science understanding that ties Year 5 and 6 together is survival.
Further to the conceptual thread of survival, the Science as a human endeavour and Science inquiry skills have also been identified as connections between year levels.
The conceptual threads and content Links are then added to the planning document.
Once the conceptual threads are identified, the learning sequence and assessments are planned.
This includes selecting assessment activities aligned with the achievement standard and content descriptions to track student progress.
Further guidance on assessment is available in the Aligning curriculum and assessment aspect of the curriculum leadership resource, as well as in the Formative Assessment and Work Samples tiles within the Resources tab on the Australian Curriculum website.
Further information relating to core concepts and key ideas can be found in the ‘Understand this learning area’ section for each learning area on the Australian Curriculum website or through professional learning courses in ACARA’s Professional Learning Hub.
Benefits
This model is suitable for all schools, but particularly well-suited to small schools as it is flexible and adaptable across multiple year and band levels. The conceptual threads model may also be combined with other models to suit the school context.
Considerations
School and curriculum leaders play a critical role in ensuring thoughtful planning and continuity of learning when implementing a conceptual threads model. Leaders can support teachers to consider how teaching a particular unit this year might influence the learning pathways of the same students in the following year, especially when they encounter similar content. The aim is to avoid unnecessary repetition and ensure students build on prior learning rather than revisiting the same material. School and curriculum leaders should also support decisions about which content may need to be taught separately to specific year levels. They should help teams plan coherent sequences of learning that maintain a logical progression of concepts across the multi-year cycle.
The following ACARA resources will support planning, teaching and assessing using conceptual threads.
Curriculum connections
ACARA’s Curriculum connections resources support educators to see the relationships across the 3 dimensions of the Australian Curriculum. They support planning for multi-age by providing multiple pathways to search, access and organise content to support learning from Foundation to Year 10. There are 9 Curriculum connections published on the Australian Curriculum website. These include:
- Artificial intelligence
- Consumer and financial literacy
- Food and fibre
- Food and wellbeing
- Media consumers and creators
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Online safety
- Outdoor learning
- Respectful relationships.
Information and resources for each Curriculum connection can be found in the Resources section of the Australian Curriculum website.
Learning area sequences of content
The following downloads support teachers in identifying the conceptual threads underpinning key curriculum areas. They outline the sequential progression of content for English, Mathematics, Science and HASS, helping teachers pinpoint essential and common concepts during planning.
English
The English curriculum underpins all learning in the Australian Curriculum, by building students’ language knowledge and literacy skills. It enables them to engage with content and communicate effectively across all learning areas. Because of this central role, English requires the greatest allocation of teaching time. Not all content descriptions require equal time, and required time will vary according to student needs. For teachers, particularly in multiage classes, knowing the progression of English content is essential. This supports effective planning across the 3 strands and informs decisions about how much time students need to grasp particular content descriptions. The English F–6 and English 7–10 sequence of content downloads are provided as an additional support for teachers as they plan for teaching and learning in a multi-age setting.
English F–6 sequence of content.docx
English 7–10 sequence of content.docx
Mathematics
Understanding the progression of content through the Mathematics curriculum supports teachers as they plan for learning in multi-age classes. The Mathematics: Sequence of content download document details how the content descriptions are developed through the strands and how different strands of the Mathematics curriculum are interrelated. It shows when certain concepts are introduced in different year levels and how some content descriptions have relationships to other learning areas.
Mathematics F–10 sequence of content.docx
Science
Core concepts in Science refer to the fundamental ideas that underpin each of the sub-strands. These concepts help teachers sequence learning effectively by providing a clear roadmap of fundamental ideas that are revisited and expanded upon across year levels. They guide curriculum planning by allowing for the development of complexity, making them particularly useful in multi-age classrooms. The framework also supports flexible pacing, cross-disciplinary integration and collaborative planning. This makes it easier to adapt the curriculum to various student needs and school contexts. The Science Understanding F–10 sequence of content by core concept download document demonstrates where each of the core concepts in Science is developed across F–10 content descriptions.
Science Understanding F–10 sequence of content by core concept.docx
HASS F–6
HASS Foundation to Year 6 plays an important role in harnessing students’ curiosity and imagination about the world they live in. It empowers them to value their belonging and contribution to their community and beyond. Content descriptions are organised through 2 interrelated strands: Knowledge and understanding (organised by year level) and Skills (organised in bands). They are designed to build knowledge and skills as students grow, which supports effective sequencing, including in multiage settings. The HASS F–6 sequence of content download documents detail how content descriptions develop through their underpinning concepts. They also illustrate how HASS F–6 concepts can be connected across year levels.
HASS F–6 sequence of content.docx
HASS F–6 sequence of content by concept.docx
Description
The A/B model involves organising learning area content over a 2-year cycle. This may include teaching all learning area content over a 2-year cycle or selecting some learning areas to be taught over the 2-year cycle and teaching others in a single year.
When organising learning area content into a 2-year cycle, the achievement standards and associated content descriptions for year level-based learning areas are reviewed and decisions made on what content will be taught and assessed in the A year and what content will be taught and assessed in the B year. Banded learning area content is also reviewed and organised in the same way. Health and Physical Education, The Arts, Technologies, and Languages are organised into 2-year band levels from Year 1 to Year 10, supporting the A/B model. The content descriptions in the Skills strands for Science and HASS are also set out in 2-year bands, providing further flexibility when planning. Schools may also make decisions about what learning may be important to reinforce or consolidate across both years in different contexts.
The A/B model can be combined with other multi-age curriculum planning models. In practice, this would mean school leaders support whole-school planning approaches by identifying if there are learning areas that will be taught over the 2-year cycle in a multi-age class (A/B model) and learning areas that may be taught in year level groupings (split model or conceptual threads). School leaders work with teachers to decide which model/s will work best in their context.
Regardless of whether the A/B model is applied to all learning areas or specific learning areas, decisions are made about which content will be taught in the A year and which content will be taught in the B year. School leaders need to ensure all content for each year level is addressed over the 2-year period.
Sequencing of the curriculum is essential, ensuring that content and skills are presented in a carefully structured order that connects to and builds upon what students have already learnt. Careful sequencing also ensures there is no repetition and no gaps in student learning. This approach helps students link new ideas to previous knowledge, deepening their understanding within and across learning areas.
Benefits
This model suits all schools' structures and works well as a whole-school approach. Through systematic planning to cover content across the 2-year cycle, this model provides comprehensive content coverage to prevent gaps in students’ learning.
Considerations
Consideration needs to be given to planning assessment and reporting against the achievement standards over the 2 years. In science for example, the Biological sciences and Chemical sciences may be covered in the A year, and Physical sciences and Earth and space sciences covered in the B year.
School and curriculum leaders need to consider how this approach will be reported to families and how local reporting requirements may influence its implementation.
The following document is a 2-year plan developed by Forth Primary School in Tasmania. It demonstrates how curriculum content from the Science and HASS F–6 learning areas and the subject Design and Technologies has been addressed over a 2-year cycle.
Forth Primary School Whole-school curriculum planning A-B Model.docx
Description
Split model approaches focus on managing curriculum in a multi-age setting for those learning areas that are year-level based. The learning areas of English, Mathematics, Science and HASS are the focus of planning in a split model approach. Decisions need to be made at a school level on the combination of learning areas. These decisions will be influenced by many factors including staff capacity, availability of resources and input from the school community.
In the split model English/Mathematics, students are grouped separately for English and Mathematics based on their enrolled year level. During these dedicated blocks, students are taught English and Mathematics in year level groups. Science and HASS are taught within multi-age classes.
In the split model Science/HASS, students are grouped separately for Science and HASS based on their enrolled year level. During these dedicated blocks, students are taught Science and HASS in year level groups. English and Mathematics are taught within multi-age classes.
For school and curriculum leaders, the split model requires deliberate coordination to ensure year-level specific instruction is streamlined for these learning areas. Leaders need to support teachers to communicate effectively and work collaboratively across all other learning areas so that lesson plans and assessment methods remain consistent. Strong leadership is essential for guiding teams to sequence the curriculum logically, ensuring that content and skills are introduced in a logical sequence that builds upon prior knowledge. This enables students to connect new concepts with previously learnt material, strengthening understanding across learning areas.
Regular communication and collaboration between the teachers of these learning areas and the main multi-age classroom teacher/s is essential for monitoring student progress and adjusting teaching and learning strategies as needed. Clear communication with support staff and families helps maintain a cohesive and seamless learning experience for students.
Benefits
The split models work well in larger schools with multiple classes and teachers. They can be effectively combined with the conceptual threads model. Content is differentiated and based on the Australian Curriculum year level focus, allowing tailored instruction.
Considerations
In a primary school setting, learning area content is taught, assessed and reported on by one teacher who may not be the students’ regular classroom teacher. Schools should consider how to effectively communicate and report to families when there are multiple teachers involved.
Staff meeting resources
These resources provide a structured starting point for collaborative discussion and reflection on current approaches to whole-school curriculum planning. They include facilitator notes, activity documents and supporting presentation slides designed to guide whole-school reflection and planning.
The materials are flexible and can be adapted to suit different school contexts, priorities and focus areas for discussion.
The facilitator notes and accompanying presentation slides have been developed to support whole group discussions when reflecting on current approaches to planning for multi-age classes.
Presentation materials
Planning for multi-age classes facilitator notes
Planning for multi-age classes PowerPoint presentation
Documents
Planning for multi-age classes reflection
Planning for multi-age classes: Planning for action
Professional learning for school and curriculum leaders
ACARA has developed a professional learning course to support school and curriculum leaders to develop a deeper understanding of the advice, resources and research in the Planning for multi-age classes aspect. This course will support leaders to:
- lead teachers in the identification and selection of the most appropriate multi-age curriculum planning model/s
- lead the development of a whole-school approach to curriculum planning for multi-age classes.
This course supports school and curriculum leaders to reflect on current practice and initiate planning a whole-school approach to curriculum implementation.
Access to this course is through ACARA’s Professional Learning Hub.
Whole-school curriculum planning for multi-age classes
School and curriculum leaders review models of curriculum planning and make decisions on the most appropriate approach for the school context.
School and curriculum leaders may develop a whole-school plan alongside year-level maps that clearly outline the scope and sequence of learning. This helps ensure all students have equitable access to the curriculum, regardless of their class composition.
The learning area scope and sequence downloads provide the achievement standards and content descriptions for each learning area or subject across F–10. The functionality of the Australian Curriculum website allows for 3 year levels or learning areas to be viewed side by side when planning. These documents and the functionality of the Australian Curriculum website help with curriculum mapping and recording decisions, which support review and evaluation post-implementation.
Using the scope and sequence at every level of planning:
- Whole-school planning: use the scope and sequence to map the curriculum across the whole school over the 4 terms of a school year.
- Year-level planning: use the scope and sequence to map the curriculum to be covered and concepts to be developed for the year levels being taught.
- Unit-level planning: use the scope and sequence to ensure lessons are taught sequentially with knowledge and skills developing cumulatively. Assessments and differentiation strategies are included in this planning process.
- Lesson planning: use the scope and sequence to plan lessons that support every student’s progress, across a range of year levels and learning abilities.
A key recommendation is to include backward mapping from the achievement standards as part of the planning process. This approach helps maintain clarity and consistency in learning expectations and supports purposeful teaching across year levels.
Step 1: Pre-planning
- Make decisions on class groupings, approaches to collaboration, curriculum planning models and professional learning needs of staff.
- Plan for communicating decisions to families.
- Develop school-based tools and mapping documents. These equip teachers with clear structures for developing, communicating, implementing, monitoring and evaluating collaborative curriculum and learning sequences.
Step 2: Using the achievement standards
- Use the website or download the scope and sequence for the learning area/s being planned (downloads are located on the Learning area downloads page on the Australian Curriculum website).
- Highlight common concepts from the achievement standards in matching colours across the year levels being taught.
Step 3: Using the content descriptions
- Review the content descriptions on the website or within the scope and sequence document to identify what knowledge, understanding and skills are to be taught across those year levels.
- Identify where the content descriptions are the same and where they differ.
Step 4: Sequencing learning
- Determine a learning sequence that builds knowledge, understanding and skills cumulatively.
- Allocate when the content will be taught (which term/year) and for how long.
- Identify which common skills and concepts can be taught together.
- Record decisions in planning templates.
Step 5: Aligning curriculum and assessment
- Plan assessments – decide what to assess, when and how.
- Design summative assessment – ensure all year levels can demonstrate achievement standards.
- Design formative assessment – gather evidence of student understanding of specific content.
- Document decisions – record in planning documents.
Step 6: Reflecting and evaluating
- At the end of the teaching and learning cycle (end of term, semester or year) collaboratively review and evaluate the approach and adjust as needed for the next cycle.
This process supports planning by:
- identifying common concepts within the learning area (conceptual threads)
- ensuring coverage of all required knowledge and skills over a 2-year cycle, avoiding gaps or unnecessary repetition (A/B model)
- supporting effective planning, teaching and assessment across year levels; for example, when using the split HASS and Science model (split model).
States and territories provide a range of advice and resources that school and curriculum leaders can access and use with staff to build knowledge and expertise related to managing multi-age classes.
Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority
Multi-age education: Teaching and learning resource
Multi-age education: Research summary
Sequences of achievement standards and content descriptions for learning areas
Unit of work plan: Multi-age template
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
Three-year-old kindergarten teaching toolkit: Multi-age groups
School Curriculum and Standards Authority Western Australia
Teaching Support Materials: Planning for a multi age group class
NSW Department of Education
English K–6 scope and sequences
Mathematics K–6 scope and sequences
Palmer Primary School
School context
This illustration of practice highlights how Palmer Primary School plans for and implements the Australian Curriculum in a multi-age setting within its small community school context. The school has 26 students across 2 classes: Junior Primary (Reception – Year 2) and Upper Primary (Years 3–6). In some years, Year 3 students are split between the Junior Primary and Upper Primary classes, depending on student needs.
Palmer Primary School is situated in Palmer, a regional area in South Australia, on the western edge of Ngaralta Country within the broader Peramangk lands. Palmer Primary School prides itself on its ability to support and extend all students, regardless of need.
Benefits of multi-age classes
The staff at Palmer Primary School identify several benefits to multi-age education, including:
- established routines, expectations and relationships that allow learning to start immediately at the beginning of each year
- development of strong relationships across year levels over time, between peers and with staff
- increased flexibility and responsiveness to student learning needs
- opportunities for role-modelling, peer support and student leadership
- progressive knowledge building that supports future learning.
[Class] A-Y ‘ay’ like in play. A-Y ‘ay’ like in play.
I'm Lauren Poole. I'm the principal of Palmer Primary School, very small school, so 26 students.
We have a Reception to Year 3 class and a Year 3 to Year 6 class, and those Year 3s, that's a very fluid thing. So, if they need a bit more support, they'll stay in the juniors for another year as a Year 3. If they're ready for that challenge, a bit more independent learning, then they'll go over to the upper primary class.
So, teaching in a multi-age class has so many opportunities and advantages. We have students for two, three, or four years. There's not that wasted getting-to-know-you phase at the beginning of every year, we know where the kids are at. We're ready to start learning straight away.
[Teacher] I still have some remainder. I need to add another?
[Student] Decimal.
[Teacher] Decimal, here I go.
Having them for four years really allows you to build relationships. You build this class culture that is rolling and every year you don't get this whole new cohort coming in.
[Teacher] When I say go, one person is going to tip the tray and one person is going to start the stopwatch, and we're going to see which liquid has the most flow. And then we're going to talk about why.
I love multi-age settings. I think it fosters such a confidence in the children. You know, they get exposed to vocabulary that they wouldn't necessarily otherwise hear. They get exposed to concepts that they don't necessarily have to understand. But once they get to that year where they are exploring those concepts, they have some background knowledge.
[Students] Viscosity.
[Teacher] Viscosity. Has anyone heard of this word before?
[Students] No.
Not been confined to one specific year level, being able to have that huge range lets you really stretch those students who may be working within Year one, but they are absolutely ready and hungry for a challenge. We're not boxed into Year one, Year two, Year three. Be flexible, be adaptable, and stretch and support as needed.
It just really allows for children to feel like they have scope to move always. Up, across, even down when they need to, because there's always someone there at their level and it's much less competitive.
There's no, I'm in this year level, so I know more, or you are only a Reception. So, we are just a team. We don't see people's ages; we don't see people's differences. We just work as a team. If there are gaps or if some children need challenge and stretch, they move about it depending on what they need. It's completely responsive to the children.
Planning for multi-age classes
Teaching staff at Palmer Primary School have moved away from planning multiple versions of the same activity, recognising the unsustainable workload this creates. Instead, teachers use a conceptual threads approach, drawing on achievement standards and content descriptions to plan learning and assessment for all students within the class.
Careful consideration is given to ensuring content varies from year to year.
A strong focus on explicit instruction and evidence-based practices, particularly in literacy and numeracy, supports high levels of engagement and learning for all students.
[Teacher] When I say flow and I'm talking about liquids, what do I mean?
I have a junior primary class that consists of Receptions, Year 1s, Year 2s, and Year 3s. So, I have a huge range of ages, a huge range of abilities. I think a lot of teachers hear multi-age and they get very worried that it's a lot of additional planning and very time-consuming.
We're definitely guilty of in the past thinking that we have to differentiate and have five different worksheets, five different groups, five different activities all the time. So, planning used to be quite messy. I think now we've got the consistent approach in terms of each achievement standard side by side and trying to find those common elements.
So, I start with the curriculum. If I was doing, for example, English, I would pull up, you know, Reception, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3. I would find language across the curriculum that is similar. I pick out what I need, and I adapt it to what the children need.
I teach upper primary, so most years, that looks like Year 3 to Year 6 on paper, so four years of curriculum in that one classroom, which was a really big stretch when I first started.
I actually have created data spreadsheets with the achievement standards listed dot point by dot point for each year level. And that way, I know that when I'm coming to reporting time, I clearly understand what I'm looking for and what outcomes I'm looking for. And then I look at the content descriptions, and I have side by side mapped out for each year level and each topic and each subtopic, so that I have a very quick, handy reference tool. When I'm doing my planning, I can just jump back into that document. Okay, we're doing angles this week. What does Year 3 need to know? What does Year 4, 5, 6 need to know? And I've got a side by side.
For most teachers, they would do, you know, the same text every year because they get a new influx of children. I have to be very careful that I'm not continually repeating. So, I go from the curriculum to my year plan. I do whole class. They will all learn the same thing, but the expectations are different. While the Year 3s might be expected to use complex sentences, the Year 1s are just expected to be able to write basic sentences. They're having the same exposure, but the expectations of what they can do independently is different.
I feel so excited by the fact that we've made such big changes here and we've been able to really change outcomes for so many students. I just want to shout it from the rooftops. If we can do these great things here in these very tricky classrooms and these very tricky groups, anyone can do it. I think that's pretty cool.
Research
Cornish L and Taole MJ (2021) Perspectives on Multigrade Teaching, Springer International Publishing, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-84803-3.
Hyry-Beihammer EK and Hascher T (2015) “Multigrade teaching in primary education as a promising pedagogy for teacher education in Austria and Finland”, International Teacher Education: Promising Pedagogies (Part C), 22:89–113), Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Nayler J (2011) Enacting Australian curriculum: Planning issues and strategies for P–12 multiple year level classrooms, Queensland Studies Authority, accessed 14 January 2026.
Pratt D (1986) “On the merits of multiage classrooms”, Research in Rural education, 3(3):111–115.
Ronksley-Pavia M, Barton GM and Pendergast D (2019) “Multiage Education: An Exploration of Advantages and Disadvantages through a Systematic Review of the Literature”, Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 44(5).
Russo J and Russo T (2022) “Mathematics in a multi-age setting”, Australian Primary Mathematics Classroom, 27(1):34–40.
Smit R and Engeli E (2015) “An empirical model of mixed-age teaching”, International journal of educational research, 74:136–145.
Research summary - Planning for multi-age classes
Further reading
Aina OE (2001) “Maximizing learning in early childhood multiage classrooms: Child, teacher, and parent perceptions”. Early Childhood Education Journal, 28:219–224.
Vukovic R (2020) “Teaching methods: Teaching in a multi-age classroom” (online interview), Teacher, accessed 7 February 2025.