At Holy Trinity Primary School have committed to multi- age learning for quite a few years now in the upper years (3-6) as we teach to the individual need in the classroom- children learn at their own rate, in a collaborative, student centred environment.  There is much research that aligns with this, allowing children opportunity to serve as mentors, take on leadership roles and increasing children’s level of independence and competence. It is not the class structure that affects learning, so much as the type of learning activity engaged in, its relevance, its interest, and many other factors including the student’s active involvement in the learning. This aligns with the IB philosophy and effective pedagogical practice of working collaboratively in mixed ability groupings.  Recent research also shows that  the mixed grade classes have similar academic results to single grade classes based on age, but social and emotional development is improved (Shutterstock 2015).  Children are not labelled according to their ability and children learn at their own rate. Older students can serve as mentors and develop leadership skills and younger students are given confidence to seek help and support from older students around them. Most importantly in a mixed age and ability setting, children are more eager to cooperate, rather than compete.