Our Curriculum
At Westfield, we believe in the importance of helping our pupils develop as a whole person – happy and ready to take the next steps into their education and lives beyond Westfield Primary Academy.
Our curriculum is unashamedly ambitious and vocabulary rich.
As a school that values research informed approaches to improve teaching and learning we are proud to have embedded CUSP (Curriculum with Unity Schools Partnership).
It is designed specifically to give our children what they need to strive and achieve their best.
Our curriculum aims to support children who attend our school by:
- Increase the exposure the children have towards high level VOCABULARY and give opportunities to practise using these words to improve oracy.
- A curriculum that improves KNOWLEDGE of the world, building upon what the children know to create new links.
- Improve the RELATIONSHIPS that the children have with each other, building skills and abilities to work together.
Long-term plans have been created so that subject coverage is planned sequentially and with a clear rationale for making connections with prior learning, therefore learning is blended and refined.
Curriculum Content
In Early Years, learning experiences are planned for children using direct teaching and a continuous provision model. This model encourages learning through play both indoors and out. Pupils enjoy their learning, whilst being supported and challenged by our Early Years staff when exploring through play and with adult led activities. Literacy, phonics and mathematics opportunities are specifically planned for throughout the day and taught as a whole class.
In Reception we teach adult-directed foundational knowledge daily and CUSP Structured Storytime. Children are given chance to rehearse learning gained here through skilfully planned continuous provision provocations and enhancements.
We use SoundsWrite as our phonics programme in Reception and Key Stage 1. This very highly structured, multi-sensory, incremental and code-oriented, instructional approach to teaching children to read and spell.
We put a great deal of focus on making sure that children quickly develop the skills and knowledge that they need to be able to read fluently and confidently by the end of year 1. We make sure that children’s reading books match the phonics they are taught. Reading is taught through whole class reading lessons in Years 1 to 6. Children are also heard read individually in order to carefully assess and challenge them as well as supporting them to read widely and often.
Across all classes at the school, the mastery approach towards mathematics is followed. Reception to Year 6 follow the White Rose programme. The programme’s principles include high expectations for every child, with a focus on problem-solving and conceptual understanding.
Curriculum for Unity School’s Partnership (CUSP)
The Curriculum for Unity School’s Partnership (CUSP) is used for English, science, history, computing, music, French, art, DT and geography. This is an ambitious, evidence-based curriculum with a focus on vocabulary. End points are identified and carefully planned for, building on previous knowledge. Long term plans comprehensively map out what is taught across the school in all subjects See the attached documents for the content of our different subjects within the school’s curriculum. Subjects are taught individually but links are made across different subjects where appropriate.
In other curriculum areas, a coherent subject-specific, knowledge based curriculum has been developed with carefully planned sequences of learning that reflect the 2014 National Curriculum. This includes using Get Set PE and Jigsaw RE.
Parents have the right to withdraw their children from RE lessons. If this is something you would like to do, please contact the school office.
PSHE (which includes RSE) is high profile and taught weekly using Jigsaw.
Acquiring, retaining and applying key information about subjects within and across our curriculum and linking this with our own understanding and experiences in the world.
Understanding our role as global citizens, developing knowledge, skills and understanding that we all need to play a full part in society as active and responsible citizens and an awareness of our contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Global Goals.
Recognising and valuing all individuals within our school and community; showing mutual respect and collective tolerance by understanding each other as unique and celebrating the contributions we can make and achieve.
Supporting each other to be the best learners we can be, understanding that we may have different needs or experiences. Offering empathy, kindness and respect to each other to enable us to flourish or thrive.
Offering opportunities through the curriculum, our home learning and extra-curricular opportunities to be inspired and inspiring to others. To make connections and links in our learning that enable us to deepen and demonstrate our understanding.
Developing self-belief and motivation to achieve and be the best we can be. Challenging each other to hold higher expectations of ourselves with a determination to succeed.
Understanding the importance of team and our participation in its success. To foster cooperation, engagement and a ‘we before me’ attitude within our school and local community.
To provide and actively participate in a wide range of opportunities that broaden and deepen our experiences and understanding. To develop growth mind-sets that recognise setbacks and failures and FLEARN and to use these as opportunities to develop resilience and confidence.
Subjects at Westfield Primary Academy
To find out more about a particular subject please select from the list below.