Normally all students will be placed in mixed ability tutorial groups for registration, tutorial periods and social education.

Students in Year 7 will remain in tutorial groups for some lessons. Support teachers will provide additional help for students with learning difficulties within normal lessons. Some students will also be offered a place in our transition support group. In due course, once students have settled into their new school, we may adjust teaching groups in order to ensure that students receive the education which suits individual abilities. In other year groups students will be placed in sets according to each individual's ability in most subjects.

All students will be encouraged to work hard and will be entered for GCSE's or appropriate examinations in as many subjects as they can cope with upon reaching Year 11. Most are entered for nine or ten subjects. We believe that full time education should not end with GCSE; this is only the first rung of the developmental ladder. As such, we expect all students who attend Canon Lee to continue into post-16 education at York College, or in some other form of full time training.

All students from Year 9 onwards, follow a structured careers programme. At KS4, this develops into a full Careers Education and Guidance Programme delivered by tutors, careers specialist and members of the Careers Service.