Our Curriculum

At Westfield, we are committed to providing an ambitious, inclusive and carefully designed curriculum that enables every child to succeed. We believe that all pupils, regardless of starting point, deserve access to rich knowledge, powerful ideas and meaningful learning experiences that prepare them not only for the next stage of education, but for life in modern Britain and beyond.

Our curriculum is built around the principle that children learn best when knowledge is taught clearly, sequenced thoughtfully and revisited regularly. Learning is not left to chance. Instead, pupils are supported to build strong foundations, make connections between ideas, and deepen their understanding over time so that knowledge moves securely into long‑term memory.

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A broad and balanced curriculum

We place great importance on teaching a broad curriculum. Subjects such as English and mathematics sit alongside science, history, geography, music, art, design technology, languages, religious education and PSHE. This breadth ensures that pupils develop cultural awareness, curiosity about the world, creativity and critical thinking, alongside essential academic skills.

Each subject is valued in its own right, while also contributing to a coherent whole. Children are helped to see how ideas connect across subjects and how learning in one area can deepen understanding in another. This breadth supports pupils to discover interests, develop talents and build the cultural capital they need to thrive.

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Our curriculum design: the CUSP approach

Our curriculum is underpinned by CUSP (Curriculum with Unity Schools Partnership), a research‑informed approach designed to support deep, lasting learning. CUSP is built around a series of carefully chosen “big ideas”. These are powerful concepts which are not taught in isolation, but developed gradually as pupils encounter related knowledge across subjects and year groups. Over time, pupils build a rich and connected understanding of the world, rather than fragmented facts.

Teaching and learning across the school are guided by clear principles of instruction. Lessons are structured to introduce new content in small, manageable steps, with teachers modelling thinking clearly, providing guided practice, and giving pupils regular opportunities to practise independently. Knowledge is deliberately revisited over periods of time so that learning is strengthened and remembered.

This approach is informed by cognitive science, particularly understanding how memory works. We know that learning happens when new knowledge connects to what pupils already know, and that teaching must avoid overloading pupils with too much information at once. By carefully sequencing learning and reducing unnecessary distractions, we support pupils to focus, think hard and succeed.

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High expectations for every child

At the heart of our curriculum is the belief that every child can achieve highly with the right teaching and support. Lessons are designed so that all pupils work towards the same ambitious goals, with scaffolding and adaptation used to help pupils access learning rather than lowering expectations.

Through our curriculum, we aim to develop pupils who are knowledgeable, articulate, resilient and thoughtful, with a strong sense of identity and respect for others. We are proud of our curriculum and the opportunities it gives our pupils to learn, grow and flourish.

Learn more at: https://www.unitysp.co.uk/cusp/