At Cavendish, we are dedicated to nurturing well-rounded individuals through our highly personalised curriculum. We recognise that in a fast and ever changing world, our learners need to be able to work independently and with others. Our curriculum is built on our core values and at the heart of our curriculum design are four key principles to build upon our pupils’ strengths and address any deficits including social disadvantage.

• Experiences that Shape Us – We provide meaningful enrichment experiences that broaden children’s understanding of the world, spark curiosity and joy and offer opportunities they might not otherwise encounter. These experiences help pupils develop interests, build cultural capital and deepen their learning across the curriculum.
• Our Place in the World – We teach children to understand and appreciate their locality, community and the wider world. Through a strong focus on equity, diversity and belonging, pupils learn about the historical and cultural significance of places and people, celebrating difference and recognising how varied backgrounds, beliefs and identities shape society. Children see themselves represented positively in the curriculum and develop a deep sense of belonging, alongside an awareness of their responsibilities as respectful, active local and global citizens.
• Happy, Healthy Me – We support children to understand themselves, their emotions and their well-being. Through developing resilience, confidence, self-regulation and healthy lifestyle choices, pupils learn how to look after their physical and mental health. This driver ensures they leave school equipped with the tools to thrive, feel safe, build positive relationships and make informed choices throughout their lives.
• The Future Me – We open children’s eyes to the possibilities ahead of them — future careers, education pathways, travel and personal achievement. Throughout their journey in school, we nurture ambition and encourage pupils to strive to become the very best version of themselves.

Together these drivers ensure our curriculum is ambitious, inclusive and life‑shaping, preparing every child to thrive now and in the future. They underpin everything we do, from subject planning to enrichment, from assemblies to safeguarding, and from personal development to the wider experiences children enjoy at Cavendish.

In Early Years, the statutory Early Years Framework (2025) is followed to ensure that children in Nursery and Reception learn and develop well, are healthy and safe and have the knowledge and skills they need. Prime areas of learning (Communication, PSED and Physical Development) are prioritised in order to ensure children are developing the key skills needed to access wider learning. A rich variety of experiences, play and open-ended learning opportunities ensure children develop all the characteristics needed to become effective learners who are prepared for each stage of learning.

As children progress into Year 1, we use the National Curriculum Programmes of Study as our core content. This is underpinned by high quality schemes which support teachers to plan and deliver effective episodes of learning. These schemes are designed not to stifle creativity but merely provide starting points for lesson development. Key subject specific objectives and skills are repeated throughout each year and across each milestone to ensure that subject specific knowledge, understanding and skills are strengthened over time.

We ensure our curriculum is balanced through the provision of a bespoke curriculum which supports children’s wider development with explicit teaching of knowledge and skills, both through the whole curriculum and through our bespoke Cavendish Curriculum sessions tailored to the needs of our local context. Pupils learn about a range of themes from being a good friend to learning how to stay safe and celebrating differences in our families and communities.

Our curriculum is further supported through the Cavendish Passport which incorporates experiences, skills and knowledge that we want every pupil to complete in their time at Cavendish, providing a rich, diverse range of experiences to help develop well-rounded pupils ready to begin the next stage in their education and ready for life in modern Britain.

We place a strong emphasis on the development of the basic skills necessary to be confident, independent learners and successful adults. Children rapidly begin to read in Reception class following ‘Read Write Inc’.  In Key-Stage 2, children engage in regular reading lessons where they develop their reading and comprehension. All children take part in daily English, Mathematics and key skills lessons.

The school community is committed to inclusion and ensuring that our curriculum is accessible to all, with tailored support for pupils with additional needs. Social, emotional, moral, spiritual, and cultural development underpin all aspects of our provision.

Assessment is used to monitor progress and inform teaching, ensuring that key knowledge and skills are revisited and strengthened over time.

We value strong partnerships with families and the wider community, working together to support every child’s learning journey. For more information about our curriculum, please contact the school office at office@cavendishprimaryacademy.co.uk

Further Information

After exploring the information on our website, if you would like any further information about our curriculum, please feel free to contact the school office – office@cavendishprimaryacademy.co.uk.