Teachers are often told about the merits of teaching in mixed-attainment groups, so why do so many of us still group children in a way that much research suggests that we shouldn’t? Marks (Marks, 2016) proposes that many teachers simply lack time to consider, let alone reconsider, their grouping practices. Others have found that fears around behaviour management, extra planning and differentiation put teachers off making the switch (Taylor et al., 2017). This article briefly examines some initial questions that may arise when switching to mixed groups. It then presents research that looks at these questions in order to assist teachers trying to make this switch. Attainment grouping – children working in groups with others working at the same level of attainment – has been found to have a number of negative impacts on pupils, yet teachers often cite it as necessary for differentiating and meeting targets (Francis et al., 2017). While pupil attainment levels are in
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