The Berkeley Institute is working towards gaining US accreditation ? but may not be able to receive full accreditation until it completes its move to the new school site.

Berkeley deputy principal Carlos Symonds said in order to receive full accreditation the school must pass certain standards, including facilities and health and safety. If the school does not pass all of the set standards, then it will only receive partial accreditation.

The Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges in the US is expected to visit the school by Spring, 2005.

Mr. Symonds said at present Berkeley would not pass the facilities because its present facility is outdated. But so far, the delays with the new school has not interfered with Berkeley's quest for US accreditation.

"We will take them (Middle States Association) to see the new site and then they will give us two years to complete or fulfil indicators under that standard.

"We have to show evidence that we are well on our way to meeting the standards," he said.

There are 12 standards in total that Berkeley will have to pass in order to receive full accreditation, said Mr. Symonds, and Berkeley's facilities and health and safety standards are not currently up to par with US standards.

Included in the rigorous assessment of the school are such things as organisational design, staff qualifications, student activities, curriculum, and leadership/management of the school.

Berkeley began the process of gaining accreditation in November, 2002.

When asked about the completion date for the new school site, Mr. Symonds said: "We are still looking at September, 2005. I do not see how it could be 2006."

It is understood that CedarBridge Academy is also working towards becoming accredited by the same association as Berkeley ? but no one from the school was available for comment.

"We are trying to do it together as sister schools. We don't want to have one school accredited and not the other," Mr. Symonds said of CedarBridge.

"Accreditation will help to restore confidence in the school and ensure we are meeting international standards," said Mr. Symonds.

He added that gaining accreditation will make it easier for local students to move to US and other international schools and colleges.

Mr. Symonds said that US accreditation, coupled with the British GCSE syllabus which the school already provides, will offer the "best of both worlds", enabling "students to be able to move anywhere".

Bermuda College is also working to become an accredited college with The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and representatives from that association are set to visit the college in March 2005.

The NEASC serves over 80 international schools and colleges across the globe including the United Kingdom and the Caribbean.