Secondary School Certificate exams.

And while that number represents just under 65 percent of the students who took the exams, principal Ernest Payette told The Royal Gazette he viewed the results as positive.

Noting that there was a wide range of grades, he said: "Most of those who participated in the tutorials (which were optional) earlier this year did very well.

"A total of 615 students resat the exams which were based on work they had not passed in previous years. Of that number, 397 passed.'' Mr. Payette said more students could have passed, but some did not submit required projects from previous years (of high school).

"The actual numbers could have been higher but because they did not have these portfolios from other schools, it did not show as a pass,'' he explained.

CedarBridge with the Education Ministry is reviewing the requirements. And students may be allowed to submit the required work.

"I would have liked to see the pass rates up in the 70s,'' Mr. Payette said.

"But had it not been for the work which was not submitted, it would have been at that rate.

"However, we now have some 400 students who started a year behind and are no longer. We're making gains.'' School staff were reviewing modified BSSC course outlines for S1 students, he added.

Students at CedarBridge need to earn a minimum of 35 credits in order to graduate with a BSSC.

With each BSSC course worth one credit, students will have to earn a credit each of their five years in mathematics, English, and in combined science or physics, chemistry or biology.

They will be able to replace a science course in years three through five with history, geography, social studies, commerce or health.

They will also have to take history and geography in their first year at the senior level, civics in years four and five, and physical education from years one through four unless they are exempted for medical reasons.

A new senior school curriculum is scheduled to be introduced in September, 1999.

Assessing CedarBridge's first year which will end this month, Mr. Payette said: "Given the obstacles that we had to overcome, we were very successful.

Given the goals we had, with all of our enthusiasm, we have not done well. But given all that we had to accomplish we did well.''