Our Aims
At Cavendish we are proud to be an inclusive schools providing a high quality, creative and challenging education within a secure, caring and happy environment in which all members of the school community can grow in self-esteem and develop their potential.
Curriculum Statement
At Cavendish we offer a broad and balanced curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral and cultural development of pupils. It enables pupils to develop academically and physically and prepares them for their future life experiences and challenges. It also provides them with the skills and knowledge needed to contribute and be successful members of society.
Our curriculum is underpinned by the National Curriculum (2014), we enhance this with planned opportunities that make up the wider school curriculum. Learning is engaging and set in a meaningful context for children. Subjects are taught discretely from Year 1 in order to ensure that children acquire the disciplinary knowledge linked to each subject as well as focusing on content. New learning is set in the context of previous knowledge and understanding to ensure that progression is evident throughout the federation. Children enjoy wider curriculum lessons and like to look back at previous work enabling them to understand their progress and development as a learner. Staff workload is supported by schemes of work, planning and assessment opportunities available for them to use for each unit of work.
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 daily morning reading where they develop their reading and comprehension. All children take part in a daily English and Mathematics lesson.
In Early Years, the statutory Early Years Framework (2021) 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. Development Matters (2020) provides teachers with guidance to ensure that our curriculum consists of everything we want children to experience, learn and be able to do. 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.
During their time at school, children develop a strong sense of moral purpose in addition to a respect and understanding of people who have different characteristics to themselves, whether that be age, disability, gender, race or sexuality. We promote a restorative approach to dealing with conflict and through circle resolution we teach children the skills needed to resolve issues and remove barriers to learning and progress. A rigorous, well-planned curriculum, delivered by staff in an ethos of care and support enables our pupils to be well-rounded, empathetic young people who are keen to learn and show respect for all around them.