At Westfield Primary School, we believe every child should feel valued and experience success across a wide range of subjects. Our curriculum is designed to ensure that children feel happy, confident and ready to face both academic challenges and life beyond school.
We provide a broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum that meets the requirements of the National Curriculum while being carefully adapted to reflect the needs of our school community. We aim to develop pupils who are knowledgeable, resilient, respectful and prepared for the future.
We place high importance on children’s physical and emotional wellbeing, recognising that children learn best when they feel safe, secure and supported. Through our inclusive approach, strong relationships and carefully planned PSHE curriculum (including SMSC and Relationships, Sex and Health Education in line with statutory guidance), we ensure all pupils are able to thrive.
Our Curriculum Intent
Westfield is a welcoming and inclusive school with a diverse community. Our curriculum has been designed to reflect this, ensuring high expectations for all, regardless of starting point.
Our curriculum:
- Builds strong foundations in language, reading and vocabulary, recognising the importance of communication skills for lifelong success.
- Is carefully scaffolded to support pupils who need additional help, while providing opportunities for challenge and deeper thinking.
- Promotes aspiration, giving children access to experiences beyond their immediate environment through visits, visitors and enrichment opportunities.
- Develops the whole child, including resilience, wellbeing, relationships and independence.
- Reflects our local community, helping children develop a sense of belonging and pride, while preparing them for life in modern Britain.
The Westfield Way
At Westfield, our curriculum is underpinned by our shared approach to teaching and learning: The Westfield Way.
This ensures consistency and high-quality learning across the school. It includes:
- A calm and purposeful start to the day so all children are ready to learn
- Clear routines and expectations that support positive behaviour and engagement
- A strong focus on vocabulary and language development
- Use of visual supports and modelling to ai
- d understanding
- Regular opportunities for recall and review, helping children remember more over time
- High-quality assessment to inform teaching and next steps
- A consistent use of shared language across the school
A Knowledge-Rich Curriculum
Our curriculum is designed to ensure that children know more, remember more and do more over time.
We are guided by research and have built our curriculum around the following key principles:
- Important knowledge is clearly identified
We carefully define what children need to know in each subject so that learning is purposeful and progressive.
- Learning is sequenced over time
Knowledge and skills are planned in a clear order, so that new learning builds on what has come before.
- Children remember learning long-term
We build in regular opportunities to revisit and practise learning through questioning, retrieval practice and application.
- Subjects are taught with clear identity
Each subject is taught with its own discipline, whilst meaningful links are made where appropriate.
- Vocabulary is at the heart of learning
Developing pupils’ language and understanding is a priority across all subjects.
The National Curriculum
We teach the National Curriculum as part of our broader school curriculum. The National Curriculum includes both Core Subjects and Foundation Subjects:
Core subjects:
- English
- Mathematics
- Science
Foundation subjects:
- History
- Geography
- Computing
- Art and Design
- Design and Technology
- Music
- Physical Education (PE)
- French (from Year 3)
- PSHE (including SMSC and statutory Relationships and Health Education)
Religious Education is taught in line with the Hertfordshire Agreed Syllabus.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
In Nursery and Reception, learning follows the EYFS Framework. Children learn through a balance of:
- Adult-led teaching
- Child-initiated exploration
- Indoor and outdoor provision
We place a strong focus on:
- Communication and language
- Early reading and phonics
- Personal, social and emotional development
This ensures children are well prepared for Key Stage 1.
Inclusion and Personal Development
We are committed to ensuring that every child can access and succeed in the curriculum.
- Learning is adapted and scaffolded to meet individual needs
- Pupils with SEND and lower prior attainment are well supported
- Opportunities for greater depth are embedded for higher-attaining pupils
Personal development is central to our curriculum. Through PSHE and wider opportunities, we support pupils to:
- Develop resilience and independence
- Build positive relationships
- Understand themselves and others
- Be responsible members of society
Our Westfield Values are woven throughout all aspects of school life and learning, rather than being taught in isolation.
Assessment and Monitoring
We regularly assess and track progress to ensure every child achieves their potential.
- Ongoing formative assessment informs teaching in lessons
- Summative assessments support overall judgements
- Regular pupil progress meetings ensure no child is overlooked
AI Statement
Further Information
If you would like any further information about a particular subject, please contact the school office.
We are committed to continually reviewing and improving our curriculum so that it remains ambitious, inclusive and responsive to the needs of all pupils at Westfield Primary School.