C.L.A.S.S. - Canon Lee After-School Study Support

Get the most out of school and get into C.L.A.S.S!

Every day after school students can take part in a wide range of activities. Additional GCSE courses combine with a study support centre with a wealth of other opportunities ensuring all students can take part in exciting activities which broaden their educational experience.

What's it all about?

This year we are continuing to extend the range of after-school activities for students in all year groups. These activities are intended to compliment and support students' studies. Most C.L.A.S.S. activities will run from 2.40 p.m. to 3.40 p.m. Monday to Friday.

C.L.A.S.S. offers the opportunity for students to work in a friendly and supportive environment; learn new skills and make new friends.

The three strands of the C.L.A.S.S. programme are:

 Extra Curricular Activities
 Study Support in the Library
 Taught classes

Clubs and Activities

Art Club

• 2.40 pm - 3.40 pm
• Mr Edwards - Wednesday
• Mr Gabraitis - Friday

Breakfast Club

• Every morning 8.00 am - 8.25 am
• Dining Hall
• All year groups welcome!!

At Canon Lee we offer a Breakfast Club each morning from 8.00 am - 8.25 am. Each morning students can select from a variety of options, e.g. bacon or sausage sandwiches, egg and bacon sandwiches, yoghurts, scrambled eggs, omelettes, etc. Fruit juice, tea, coffee, cereal and toast are also available. The price is 30p.

Chess Club

• Monday lunchtime
• G41 Mr Woodcock
• All year groups welcome!!

Anyone is welcome to come and play chess in G41 on Monday lunchtime (in Mr Woodcock's maths classroom). During the spring term there will be a competition open to any student to determine who will become the "School Champion" for 2009. There are a number of competitions organised by York Junior Chess Association that take place at weekends. I will pass details of these competitions onto interested students.

Creative Writing Club

• Tuesday (fortnightly) 2.45 pm - 3.40pm
• F43 - Mrs Child and Mrs Ribchester
• All year groups welcome!

We will be creating and developing fiction-writing skills through teacher led workshops and individual experimentation and creation. These students will have the opportunity to write a novel in November and complete short stories and poems for competitions.

Drama Club

• Friday 2.40 pm - 3.40 pm
• The Cube
• Mrs Carr, Miss Nicholson, Mrs Gulfan
• All year groups welcome!

No auditions are necessary to be a member of Drama Club - just show up! This is a must for budding stars and offers a range of performance opportunities as well as a chance to develop key drama skills. In the past, Drama Club members have performed at local drama festivals, school concerts, Peer Education events and the York Mystery Plays.

Warning: good attendance is vital, especially when you are preparing for a performance. If you're not there to do your bit, somebody else will step in and steal your limelight!

Cube Productions

• For rehearsal times' see the rehearsal schedule outside The Cube
• The Cube
• Mrs Carr

Different productions will include casts from difference years. This fantastic venue will be used for GCSE Drama students to perform some of their practical assessments to a real live audience! We also have an annual KS3 production in the Autumn Term.

I.C.T. Club

• Tuesday & Thursday, 2.40 pm- 3.40 pm
• S4
• Mr Shaw and Mr Hawkins
• All year groups welcome!

ICT Club offers you the chance to use the school ICT system for coursework, homework or to improve and learn new ICT skills. There may also be the opportunity to work on other ICT projects. Students have free access to computers and the internet. Also, listen out for details of ICT workshops on web design, programming, building a PC, etc.

Music

Big Band

• Friday 2.40 pm - 3.40 pm
• Miss Buckley G66

This is the Flagship Ensemble at Canon Lee. It is recognised within the City of York as an excellent school band and is often invited to play at more than 20 events a year. The Band plays a cross section of Jazz and Swing classics as well as a number of Soul and Funk numbers.

Students in Big Band are expected to be committed musicians who are prepared to work hard in order to maintain the high standards set by the band in previous years. All members of Big band are expected to also play with the School Band. Students may wish to bring a drink or snack to these long Friday rehearsals.

Choir

• Wednesday lunchtime
• All years
• Mrs Elliott G66

This is an open access ensemble that is aimed at lower school. Students will develop singing and vocal skills through a range of activities (primarily singing), and will be given several opportunities to perform throughout the year. The choir performs a range of songs form simple vocal exercises to current pop songs.

Key Stage 3 Rock Bands

• Thursday 2.40 pm - 3.40 pm
• Mr Shaw

This after school time has been put aside for students in a band or wanting to form a band in years 7, 8 and 9. Staff are available to help direct and support the bands but equally if they want to be left alone to do their own thing that is fine too!

Music Technology

• Monday 2.40 - 3.40 pm
• G69/68
• Miss Buckley/Miss Nicholson

This is an opportunity for GCSE Music and NCFE Music Technology students to use the school's recording studio and new MIDI suite, with supervision, to produce electronic compositions or to record individual and group performances.

Students are required to book this facility at least 3 days in advance.
Key Stage 4 students are given priority in booking this facility but occasionally it may be possible for groups of lower school students to book the studio in order to make recordings.

Samba

• Monday 2.40 - 3.40 pm.
• G66 - Miss Kent

An exciting new activity for students in years 7, 8 and 9. You don't need any specific musical experience. Come along, have a go and let's make some noise!! Samba play at events thoughout the year, including York Carnival in May.

School Band

• Tuesday 2.40 - 3.40 pm
• G66- Mr Elliot

All students that have music lessons on wind instruments in school are expected to take part in the School Band as soon as they have reached a level that is approximately equivalent to grade 1.

The band plays in a range of styles but the main focus is on contemporary tunes. The main aim of the band is to develop musicians who are good enough to play in the Big Band. The School Band plays at a range of events throughout the year from school concerts to playing carols at the senior citizens' Christmas party.

Theory Club

• Tuesday Lunchtime
• G66 - Miss Buckley

This club is open to anyone, especially students who are considering taking music at GCSE level and beyond. We follow the ABRSM graded theory workbooks and can enter students for exams.

Rock Bands and Private Practice

Students are able to book rooms in the department in order to rehearse their own self-organised bands. The best of these bands will be given opportunities to perform at school events. Students who do not have a suitable practice space at home are also able to book rooms in order to carry out their own private practice. All of these room bookings are subject to availability and are not closely supervised. School ensembles always take precedent over these bookings.

Rock Challenge

• Tuesday 2.45 pm 3.45 pm in Main Hall
• Mrs Jones/Miss Kent/Miss Nicholson
• All years

A mixture of dance, break dance and gymnastics for boys and girls culminating in a competition in March against other schools. Come along and have a go! We are also looking for students to join the Rock Challenge Team as part of the crew. We need set builders, painters, lighting and sound, makeup artists, hair stylists and back stage crew.

Rock Solid

• Wednesday 2.40 pm - 3.40 pm
• Years 7, 8, and 9
• Mr Geary

A group for years 7, 8 and 9, supported and run by YoYo volunteers. Rock Solid tackles social issues in a fun way using materials adapted from "Youth for Christ".

PE CLUBS 2008/2009

All sports clubs will run in the PE area. Students will need full kit for their activity. Equipment is provided for all activities but players may bring their own if they wish.

Information regarding sporting fixtures will be given to students as they are arranged. Regular attendance at practices is expected for selection to teams.

Day	Gym	Sports Hall	Outside	Main Hall
Monday	Dance (Lunch)		Football Year 10 & 11 (4pm)	Dance GCSE Y10 & Y11
Tuesday	Trampolining Year 7	Badminton (all years)	Rugby Y7 & Y8    otball Girls (all years)	Rock Challenge (all years)
Wednesday		Hockey	Netball (All years)Rugby Y9 & Y10 Football Y7 & Y8
Thursday	Dodgeball Year 10 (Lunch)	Netball        (all years)	Football Year 9
Friday		Basketball Year 8

 

Study Support and Homework Club in the Library

• Every day 2.40 pm - 3.40 pm
• Miss York
• All year groups welcome

The library is available to students in all year groups to complete homework, coursework, research or simply to read and relax. In addition, the library ICT facilities may be used for school tasks.

Students in years 7 and 8 can collect merits for regular attendance, as well as having access to the prize draws, each term, for all students. Other rewards for progress and achievement at homework club will be available as the year progresses. Keep checking the Library notice boards and the website for more details.

Taught Classes

Several departments are offering extra tuition after school, which, in many cases, will lead to extra GCSE achievements. Regular attendance to these classes is compulsory.

Drama GCSE

• Year 11, Tuesdays
• The Cube
• Mrs Carr

An opportunity to take an extra GCSE in addition to subjects opted for on the timetable. The two hour session includes a one hour lesson and one hour of preparation time or rehearsals for each year group.
See Mrs Carr for further details.

RE GCSE

• Year 11
• Wednesday 2.40 pm - 3.40 pm

Students wishing to convert their short course GCSE into a full GCSE grade, have the opportunity to complete a further hour of study each week. See Mrs Bell for further details.

Revision and Coursework classes

Coursework catch-up sessions and revision classes are offered on a voluntary basis and it is possible to attend classes regularly or as help is required. However, in some cases Subject Leaders may contact parents to suggest that students attend on a regular basis.

Students should check with their subject teachers when each class is available during the year.

English GCSE Coursework Catch-up
• Wednesday in F43 until Christmas
• 2.40 pm - 3.40 pm

English GCSE Revision
• Wednesday and Friday
• 2.40 pm - 3.40 pm (January to May)

Maths Higher and Intermediate Revision Classes for Year 11
• 2.40 pm - 3.40 pm
• Mrs Preston - Tuesday
• Mrs Stanton - Tuesday
• Ms Fischer - Wednesday
• Miss Binns - Thursday
• Mr Woodcock - Thursday

Modern Foreign Languages
• GCSE revision from January to May
• 2.40 pm - 3.40 pm
• Miss Walmsley: German - Tuesday, Spanish - Thursday
• Mr Gower; French - Tuesday & Wednesday
• Mrs Haig: GCSE Coursework - Tuesday

Food Technology/Textiles
• GCSE coursework and revision
• Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 2.40 pm - 3.40 pm

Graphic Products and Resistant Materials
• Key stage 4 extra coursework sessions
• Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 2.40 pm - 3.40 pm

Health & Social Care
• GCSE coursework and revision
• Tuesday 2.40 pm - 3.40 pm

Instrumental Tuition

The music department at Canon Lee is regarded as one of the best in the City of York; with acclaimed musical productions such as "Bugsy Malone" and "Annie" and the continuing success and popularity of the Big Band.

Recent educational studies have highlighted strong links between students' academic achievement and their participation in musical activities as students thinking skills are stimulated and developed. At Canon Lee we aim to offer all students the best educational opportunities, including instrumental tuition.

There are currently nine visiting instrumental teachers offering a wide range of instrumental opportunities, including:

Woodwind Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone
Brass Trumpet, Cornet, Trombone
Strings Violin, Viola, Cello
Guitars Acoustic and Electric
Percussion Drum Kit
Bass Electric
Voice Singing
Keyboards Electronic or Piano

All of these lessons are organised and administered by York City Council's Performing Arts Service. Normally students receive a twenty to thirty minute lesson on a weekly basis. These lessons are rotated so that students do not miss the same lesson every week. Students are expected to catch up on any work that has been missed in their own time.

Instruments

The school has a stock of instruments that it loans to students, free of charge. These instruments are offered first to those students that have shown an aptitude in classroom music lessons. The school's stock of instruments is large but not without limits.

The Performing Arts Service also has a stock of instruments. These are loaned free of charge for the first term after which a fee is charged on a termly basis. Several instrumental retailers offer the chance to "try before you buy" for an extended period and details of these schemes can be obtained from the school.

Cost

The exact cost of instrumental tuition can vary depending upon the number of students in the group and the length of the lesson. A typical lesson is with a group of four students for thirty minutes. Students are guaranteed ten lessons a term. The Performing Arts Service administers these fees termly. The school acts as a liaison. Lessons are free for families that receive income support and there are reductions for families receiving family credit. Discounts are also available for students with siblings that are already having lessons.

Commitment

Learning to play an instrument is a long-term commitment. Success depends not just on musical ability but the ability to organise (lesson times, rehearsal times, catching up on class work); the self-discipline to practise and the perseverance not to give up at the first hurdle.

As well as weekly lessons, students will be expected to take part in the school's band programme. This would mean meeting and practising at lunch times on an irregular basis and it is the first step towards participating in the School Band and the Big Band. It accelerates progress by reinforcing the weekly lesson through ensemble playing.

For parents, the commitment is of time and money, as well as checking on practice diaries on a weekly basis. In return for this commitment, students can expect to achieve enhanced academic and social skills, as well as the life long ability to play, read and write music.

Please discuss with your child the possibility of instrumental tuition as well as the hard work and commitment that they will need.

For further information please see Miss Buckley.