Cannons Creek Independent School

Cannons Creek Independent School

A School with a Difference
Address
Nursery Way, Pinelands 7405
Cape Town, Western Cape
South Africa
Coordinates 33°56′24″S 18°30′24″E / 33.94000°S 18.50667°E / -33.94000; 18.50667Coordinates: 33°56′24″S 18°30′24″E / 33.94000°S 18.50667°E / -33.94000; 18.50667
Information
Type Co-educational independent school
Established 1997
Principals Mrs. C. Booth (Primary School) and Mr. M. van Haght (High School)
Grades RR–12
Number of students 396
School fees R62,975 (High) / R50,545 (Primary) / R44,935 (Pre-Primary)
Website www.cannonscreek.co.za

Cannons Creek Independent School, situated in Pinelands, Cape Town, South Africa was founded in January 1997 by Mrs Carol Barhouch (now Booth) together with four teachers, Mrs Hazelmay Duncan, Mr Kevin Wroth, Ms Nicola du Plooy and Ms Lesley Jacobson as a Primary co-educational English speaking Christian School. The School currently incorporates a primary school (Grades RR to 6) and a high school (Grades 7 to 12 writing WCED Matric exams).

History

When Cannons Creek started in January 1997, there were only 37 pupils and 5 teachers and the school was housed in the Pinelands Club Hall. However, with the continued demand for places in the expanding school, it was soon realised that the School would need a school building of its own. The initial concept was to only provide a primary school, however in 1998 there was a demand from the parents for Cannons Creek to establish a high school. In 1999, two years following the opening of the Cannons Creek Primary School, a high school was opened with Mr Mike van Haght as the Principal. That same year, Cannons Creek took occupation of the land and a building was built specifically for the School. However, with the increasing number of pupils, due to the growing high school, the high school building was built and opened in February 2003. Cannons Creek Primary and High School were then housed in two buildings located alongside each other in Nursery Way, Pinelands with a sports field. In 2006, a Grade R class was started with Mrs Christine Underwood. In February 2012 a new Primary School campus of 16 classrooms was opened and the old Primary School Building was taken over by the High School. In 2016 on the school's Founders' Day, a new Cultural Centre was inaugurated adjacent to the High School's Lonsdale Building. The Cultural Centre has three sound-proofed music teaching venues, and a gallery and is used for both primary and High School assemblies and for cultural events.

In 2016 there are 396 pupils and 58 staff. The School endeavours to keep classes to a maximum of 16 pupils per Primary School class and 20 per High School class. In 2011 double streaming of classes was started in both the High and Primary School with the exception of the Grade RR class.

Principal of High School:

Principal of Primary School:

Academics

Cannons Creek has an acceptable academic record. Since the inception of Grade 12 in 2003, the school has maintained a 100% Grade 12 pass rate.

Grade 12 WCED Results 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Pass Rate (%) 100 100 100 86 100 100 100 100 100 100
Subject A's 45% 26% 25% 18% 21% 31% 12% 30% 31.6% 31%
Class aggregate 59% 71% 74% 66% 66% 69% 71% 73% 72% 71%
Top aggregate 94.9% 90.5% 84.7% 85.9% 87.0% 85.3% 79.4% 86% 88.4% 86.4%

In 2014 Cannons Creek was awarded the WCED Award of Excellence.

Compulsory subjects for grades 7, 8 and 9

  • English HL
  • Afrikaans FAL
  • Mathematics
  • Creative Arts: Art, Drama, Music
  • Junior Computer Technology
  • Life Orientation
  • Natural Sciences (Science and Biology)
  • Social Sciences (History and Geography)
  • Economic and Management Sciences (EMS)

Subject choices for Grades 10, 11 and 12

From Grade 10 pupils are required to make their subject choices which they will carry forward to their final Grade 12 (Matric) exams. Cannons Creek offers the following subjects and below shows how they are combined for the 7 subject group. The final subject choice is made during the pupil’s Grade 9 year. The subject choice has been designed so that any combination yields the official HEE (Higher Education Endorsement) which is needed in South Africa if the child wishes to pursue tertiary education

  • English (Home Language)
  • Afrikaans (First Additional Language)
  • Life Orientation.
  • Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy.
  • Life Sciences , Geography and CAT (Computer Applications Technology)
  • Physical Sciences (Chemistry and Physics), Tourism and Design.
  • Accounting, History, Dramatic Arts, Music

Sports and Extra Mural Activities

Primary School

Cannons Creek Primary offers a wide variety of sports and extra mural activities. The school offers the following:

  • Chess
  • Choir
  • Christian Group
  • Music
  • Drama Club
  • Art Club
  • Outreach Club
  • Marimba Band
  • Music Ensemble
  • Hockey
  • Cricket
  • Softball
  • Swimming
  • Athletics
  • Cross Country
  • Soccer
  • Netball
  • Water Polo

Over the years the school has had many of its sports players being Western Province sport players, with some even representing South Africa, such as in the U13 Hockey team, U13 Softball team, U13 Tennis team, Indoor Hockey, Cross Country trials, Karate and Kick boxing.

High School

The high school also offers a variety of sporting and cultural activities such as:

  • Cricket
  • Softball
  • Athletics
  • Cross Country
  • Squash
  • Hockey
  • Canoeing
  • Soccer
  • Waterpolo
  • Photographic Society
  • Music
  • Drama Club
  • First Aid
  • Theatre Club
  • Outdoor Club
  • Interact Club
  • Go.com (Christian Society)
  • Robotics and Electronics Club

Sport is compulsory at Cannons Creek. The history of the high school's sport scene is also filled with well-qualified sport players with people from hockey, equestrian club, Cross country, ladies golf, body boarding and ice hockey reaching the Western Province trials or level. The school also had a South African Touch Rugby player who graduated in 2006.

Adventure Week

Adventure week is a week whereby all the students and teachers in the High School complete a hiking trial or attend a camp. The camp is usually 5 days (in Grade 9 it is a 10 day event) and is always in the final week of the first term. Each grade has their own set of hiking trails or places that they go. The aim of Adventure Week (a compulsory event) is for the students to experience nature, be out of their comfort zones, learn life skills and most importantly bond with their schoolmates.

In Grade 12, the students have the opportunity of travelling to Namibia and canoeing on the Orange River , the ultimate and best adventure week option.

References

    External links

    This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Thursday, March 10, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.