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Personally, I think it's fine, if the students are fine with it. It's not ideal, but you can space them farther apart if neither of them can switch pieces. After all, they've worked hard and it's not exactly fair to ask either of them to switch on (short?) notice.

Thankfully, these 2 kids don't know each other. I was thinking of asking one to replace that song, but she has worked so hard on it (as has the other student). As suggested, I will have to place them as far apart as possible. Lesson learned: when list of recital pieces is long, put them in excel format weeks before the date and sort them by title.....

That's good. You'd hate to create rivalry in the studio. Live, learn, and let live.

I don't like assigning the same pieces to different students, unless they are still in method books. Once the student is out of method books, I make a point to teach different materials to different students. Several reasons:

1) The music won't stagnate.

2) I get to cater the repertoire to the student's individual taste and needs.

3) I get to expand my own repertoire.

4) Students get exposed to as many different pieces as possible, from what they play, to what they hear at recitals.

5) Students won't end up comparing themselves.

When you send as many students to competitions and festivals as I do, you will run into repeated repertoire all the time. Bach Festival is notorious for having seven kids in a row play Invention No. 8. So, within the confines of my own studio, I avoid repeated repertoire at all cost.

Oh this happens at my kid's recitals on a fairly regular basis. Especially with beginner kids. They just break up the kids. One plays towards the beginning and one towards the end. It's never a big deal.

This method seems to be advocated by many on this thread, but it is a problem if you are trying to arrange the participants in order of increasing proficiency, ie the beginners first, and the advanced students (if there are any) at the end (which is the way many teachers do it). Thus, to put a student playing a Bach invention between two Liszt Transcendentals is not really what you're looking for in this case, but that's what would happen if you tried to put them at the opposite end of the recital from the other student playing it. I think it's much better just to avoid assigning the same piece to both students.

I never put students in order of proficiency, so it's not a problem for me.

How do you order them? Alphabetically?

I group pieces around a theme or vary them by mood or historical interest. There are many ways to do it.

I see.

You could do chronologically according to the composer's time period. I've never done that, but I think it would be cool. Or you can do according to the tempo of the piece, alternating fast and slow (I do this often).

I used to do according to difficulty of the piece ending with the most advanced students, but I think it's obvious who is the most advanced, and who cares? Now I like it more with what sounds good. I will, however, put students who get stage fright in a spot where they prefer (some want to be first, some want to be close to the beginning but not first, etc.).

I definitely don't programme in order of difficulty. Older beginners wouldn't appreciate being grouped with the 4-6 year olds.
I get great joy out of making as interesting a programme I can with the pieces available. I mix the levels throughout, for the listening enjoyment of the audience. I make sure the smallest kids are closer to the beginning because I know it's hard to wait your turn. The first performer must be really well prepared, know how to bow properly, and know how to behave during a performance - this child is setting the tone for the whole recital, so you have to choose wisely.

There is also the bench height and footstool to take into considersation (if you use an adjustable bench and footstool). I use both of those and usually put 3 or 4 similarly sized students back-to-back in the programme. This decreases the number of adjustments I need to make during the concert.
I also intersperse duets throughout the programme, so that there is lots of variety for the audience.

You also have to consider the feelings of the students performing. Even though we don't want them to, students and families compare performances. For that reason, I never put siblings back to back, or other students that tend to compete.

I probably spend too much time on my programmes, but I do enjoy the time spent, and feel that the results are enjoyable and interesting concerts.