The parents' association at CedarBridge Academy last night came out in support of the school's much-maligned strict dress code.

Chairman of the Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) Terry Flood said members fully supported principal Kalmar Richards and the board on their hard line against pupils who failed to adhere to the code.

He said: "The PTSA gives its full support to the principal on the dress code. Parents had ample time to get the proper dress for their children from when the school closed for the summer break in June.

"What we are trying to do is make a good school with a very good reputation."

And Mr. Flood said he believed forcing children to stick to a tight dress code was excellent training for later life.

"After CedarBridge there is the world," he said.

"They go off to college or to the work place, and they need to know that there are guidelines out there. Even in the work place there are dress codes. We believe this is exactly what the kids need.

"A proper uniform is a part of discipline, and we don't accept that it is too strict. The buck has to stop somewhere, and the line has to be drawn."

Mr. Flood spoke out in support of the school after two parents contacted The Royal Gazette and complained that staff at CedarBridge were being deliberately difficult on the school uniform.

One claimed her daughter had been sent home from her orientation day because her $80 shoes had a Nike label on them - despite the fact that she claimed they were not sneakers.

And a boy was sent home from his orientation day because the hems on his trousers were "too thin". His mother said the teachers had probably meant his trousers were too long, however, she said he wore them last term without any hint of a problem, and said she also sent him back to school in them the next day, and nobody complained.

Shadow Education Minister Tim Smith said he had also received numerous complaints from parents whose children had been sent home due to uniform blunders during the first orientation days.

But CedarBridge principal Mrs. Richards defended the school's hard stance and said parents were informed in early July what the "specific" dress code would be.

She said: "We have a set uniform code and we expect our students to meet that code.

"We want our children to come in looking good. I think we gave them (parents) ample notice, particularly those children who have already been in the school before and know the rules.

"Parents were informed there would be rigorous uniform inspection when students arrived and I gave them the dates of that. Both parents and students need to meet the code, otherwise there is no sense in having it."