Mixed ability teaching in all subjects until GCSE

[Buggedoff]

I went to visit a school last week, a free school as it happens, although I don't know if this is relevant. I was shown in all the classrooms, and had the normal talk by the head. During this talk, there was a lot of references to their very talented teachers, the extended day, class sizes of 25 and how core subjects are a focus.

There was no discussion of setting, but I had heard a rumour that this school uses mixed ability classes. So on the way out, I asked the deputy head about setting, and she confirmed that all subjects were taught in mixed ability class groups. She said that talented teachers can differentiate to all abilities, and that mixed ability classes prevent top students from becoming complacent, and give lower ability students ambitious targets to achieve.

AIBU to question this, and wonder if it teaching to the middle is an inevitable consequence of this, particularly in a subject such as maths? AI also BU to think that the head should have discussed this policy during his speech, if it is integral to the ethos of the school? I really wanted to like this school, but it probably will not be going on my CAF.

Unless someone can persuade me that mixed ability teaching is great.

kitchendiner DH always tells the junior staff to explain their computer?technical problems to an imaginary cardboard boss before taking them to their real one.

He says a lot of the time once they have thought about it enough to describe the problem they often see where they have gone wrong. Even if they can't fix it they waste far less of the boss's time explaining what they need.

(Which in turn wastes far less of his because all insoluble faults end up on his desk)

My problem with school was, as I say, when the "teaching less able DCs" was seen as a reason to keep her in the wrong set because it was so useful to her lazy arse teacher.