The EEx Guide to Mixed Aged-Classes and Guide to Outdoor Provision

The Early Excellence Guide to Mixed-Aged Classes is an essential guide for any schools with mixed-age classes in the Early Years and KS1 or for schools who may be considering this approach to teaching. It is teamed with the Guide to Outdoor Provision to support a consistent approach to provision, both indoors and outdoors.

The EEx Guide to Mixed-Aged Classes complements the Guides to Continuous Provision 3-5yrs and 5-7yrs and supports practitioners to develop practice and provision within mixed-age classes, ensuring it is a positive experience for all children.

The guide is designed to support practitioners that are both experienced working within mixed age groups and those that are new to mixed age classes. It ensures you spend time reflecting on your provision and practice, consider the benefits mixed-age classes offer, along with offering practical ideas, activities for team development and recommended actions. 

The guide also offers practical information to help practitioners plan the environment; how to consider which areas to prioritise and what opportunities each area offers. It also provides examples of Continuous Provision Plans to support practitioners with creating bespoke versions, designed to suit the needs of the school and children. The EEx Guide to Mixed-Aged Classes can be purchased separately however we strongly recommend investing in the Continuous Provision 3-5yrs and 5-7yrs to get the most out of your classroom environment.

The EEX Guide to Mixed-Aged Classes features:

• Reflections on mixed-aged classes
• How to create and sustain a vision
• How to work with families
• Models of Teaching & Learning
• Developing areas of provision
• Audit Framework
• Continuous provision planning guide examples 

The EEX Guide to Outdoor Provision features:

• Planning documents, activities and resources
• A three-part illustrated overview of the principles around provision, covering the what, why and how - suitable for ages 3-5 years
• A useful set of discussion points to support the review of current provision
• A full set of Provision Planning documents, one for each outdoor provision area and blank formats to create your own unique plans - suitable for 3-5 year old children in the EYFS
• Guidance on how to use the plans with your team