Teachers at Government's largest public school say they have seen a remarkable improvement in the facility since it first opened almost six years' ago.

A number of staff, including teachers, heads of departments and counsellors, said the school was much more organised now, and said the students had settled down and were more mature.

Social science teacher Nicole Grant said she had cut her teaching teeth at CedarBridge Academy, and had found that both she and the school had developed and improved together over time.

"When I first came here, any concerns I had I shared with Mrs. (Kalmar) Richards, and that was at a time when she was deputy principal," said Ms Grant.

"And there were many concerns. The students' behaviour has changed somewhat - not entirely - but there is a big difference now. Put it this way, my first year of teaching, I had one boy jump out of the window. That hasn't happened since."

But Ms Grant said, like any organisation, there was always room for improvement.

She added: "It's better in some aspects, such as administration, and the more experienced, veteran teachers have really encouraged those with less experience, like me."

But Ms Grant said the school now also had a number of groups and workshops available for the teachers and students, which it did not have before, such as the Student Government. She said that was about empowering students and encouraging leadership, which had resulted in big improvements.

She added: "As we develop, we will get stronger and we will build traditions. I think we will become more popular."

Head of foreign languages Rosemary Matthews said it took the school a while to bed in because it was taking children from across the Island.

"It is like a building, when you are building something, you need to plan," she said. "I think the students and the teachers were brought together with the best intentions, but the human element was not thoroughly thought through. There will always be several teething problems, but because of the teachers and the administration, we were not prepared to see it fail."

But Ms Matthews said the CedarBridge of 1997 was not the CedarBridge of 2003.

"We have had teachers and administration who have fought, despite the bad press. Students have been pushed and, as a result, we have gone from a school that had bad publicity to a school that has stormed in many competitions. People are now accepting that CedarBridge has a rich potential. It's not a Utopia yet, but we are a school which is in change. This is the first year that we have had a student accepted by the United World College, and we have two Rotary exchange students this year, Jamari Douglas and Scentia Jones."

Head of social studies Anthony Wade said if he had children, he would not hesitate to send them to CedarBridge Academy.

He said: "I have seen a tremendous change in the students. The students, as opposed to 1997 and 1998, they are now buying in to the structure that they have to accomplish something while they are here.

"What they have got here, they have earned. If they have not earned it, they simply don't get it now, and I think that is the biggest thing I have seen here.

"In this past year, I have had children call me at home to get clarification on home work. That has never happened before. I have seen a real change in the conscientiousness of these individuals.

"Teaching is very hard, but with students like these it is much easier."

And Mr. Wade said the enthusiasm, energy and passion of Mrs. Richards alone, gave the school something special.

"She has these students cracking," he added. "And there are so many opportunities for students here, there is no way they can't move into super stardom.

"And the quality of the teaching staff has remained very high. Parents who send their children here definitely have them in good hands."

All of the teachers said discipline had improved massively at the school, particularly since a number of students were removed last year and sent, instead, to The Educational Centre.

But business studies teacher Kim Lightbourne said from beginning her teaching career at the school in 1998, she had also tempered the way she acted and supervised the students.

In the beginning, she said she got little respect from students and was very domineering, but has learned since to build a trusting relationship with the students, and they now respect her much more.

"When CedarBridge opened I was in university and I did hear lots of horror stories, but CedarBridge was the only place I wanted to work and the only place I applied to," she said.

"I wanted to be here and wanted to be a part of this environment. I found my first year here challenging. I guess I thought I could come in and demand lots. But then I reassessed myself, and since then have seen huge transformations with myself, the students and my classroom.

"I have seen a huge change in the discipline, from the students, teachers and administration. Everyone now holds themselves to higher standards, and this year, in particular, has been a wonderful year."

But Ms Lightbourne said she now wanted to see the school cater to those students who were not so academically minded, so they too could excel and graduate in their particular field.

"They don't necessarily have behaviour problems, but they are not academic, so we need to find a solution for that."

And computer teacher Dean Foggo agreed. He said the school still had a lot of room for improvement, and said his biggest concern was that one size did not fit all.

He would like to see more variation and options available for students when they come to graduate.

"In `97, I noticed the students were more academically mature in knowledge, but now the students are much more well-rounded. When I first came in I thought that academic was better, but now I see the students are much better prepared for the world at work. Everyone is now aware of their responsibilities and their role and how it affects the running of the whole body. I believe we are now a very well-oiled ship."

And counsellor Elizabeth Saunders said she believed the current S4 group was the perfect example of why the extra year at the secondary school was a good thing. She said that extra time had given the students time to mature and grow.

She added: "Mrs. Richards has repeatedly told the children that they must be students of excellence and they have really bought into it. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy that has happened at this school. The students here have a very solid, collective sense of worth.

"I really do feel that people are going to see the school as a viable alternative and that they don't have to spend $10,000 a year."