Primary not differentiating work

[scittlescatter]

Is this normal? Is there evidence behind it?

Surely it does a disservice to the more able, as well as the less able.

My DC's school does this. Absolutely no differentiation, ever. Sometimes, there is an optional challenge.

I'm not keen as I think it leads to poorer behaviour (children who aren't set appropriate work are more likely to mess about) and doesn't reach the more able resilience, as they get used to not being challenged.

Any helpful ideas?

I agree it sounds like the mastery approach. And I have to say for the very able the mastery approach is boring. I tried really hard with it, but getting my most able pupils to sit through the same input as the rest of the class when they could already do whatever I was teaching was tedious and boring for them and I didn’t find it beneficial. I also felt I was likely to get complaints from parents. I tend to let them get on and do whatever it is I’m teaching to the rest of the class independently, then once the rest of the class is working independently I go back to my more able children and move them on. (I am talking about a handful of very able highly tutored children working around 2 years ahead though, not just the top end of a mixed ability class.)