CUSP Reading and Writing

At St Mary's, we use the CUSP (Curriculum with Unity Schools Partnership) Reading and Writing curriculum to provide a structured, ambitious and knowledge-rich approach to English. CUSP helps children develop as confident readers and skilled writers through carefully sequenced learning that builds knowledge, vocabulary and understanding over time. 

Reading

Through CUSP Reading, children encounter a wide range of high-quality texts and rich vocabulary. They learn to discuss, analyse and interpret what they read, helping them to become fluent readers with strong comprehension skills. Reading lessons develop children's knowledge of language and their ability to understand increasingly complex texts. 

Writing

CUSP Writing supports children to become confident and effective communicators. Grammar, punctuation, spelling, handwriting and composition are taught explicitly and revisited regularly to help learning become embedded in long-term memory. Children learn how to plan, draft, edit and improve their writing, producing high-quality outcomes for a range of audiences and purposes. 

Our Approach

The curriculum is built on a "Reduce and Revisit" model, which allows children to return to important concepts and writing forms repeatedly throughout their primary years. This ensures that knowledge is secure, connections are made and learning is retained over time. Reading and writing are closely linked, enabling children to draw inspiration from high-quality texts as they develop their own skills as writers. 

Our Vision for Every Child

We want every child to:

• Read fluently, confidently and with understanding.
• Develop a rich and ambitious vocabulary.
• Write accurately, creatively and effectively for different purposes.
• Communicate their ideas with confidence.
• Leave St Mary's fully prepared for the next stage of their education.

Through our use of CUSP Reading and Writing, we strive to foster a lifelong love of reading, a passion for language and the confidence for every child to share their voice with the world.