CedarBridge Academy defending the school's reputation again last night.

Principal Ernest Payette stressed the genuine progress the school had made in ridding itself of its bad reputation.

Although he said the incident was "out of character'' for the school, only a year ago a 15-year-old student was stabbed while trying to defend a special student who was being taunted.

But Mr. Payette said the latest stabbing was the result of a personal dispute which "boiled over''.

Police were called to investigate the 11 a.m. incident which left the 14-year-old victim bleeding after she was knifed in the side by another schoolgirl the same age.

One independent source said it was believed the stabbing victim had actually "precipitated'' the violent incident by stirring up trouble with the other student over an extended period.

He said it was the victim who had "run into problems'' in the past while the the alleged assailant was "well behaved'' and considered a good student who had been pushed over the edge.

"What happened is basically that she retaliated today. But unfortunately she did that in a way no-one was expecting.

"What happened is not in her nature at all -- it's very atypical of her.'' Almost six hours after the stabbing, a nursing supervisor at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital said the schoolgirl victim was still in the operating room.

An hour later the supervisor said the girl was in stable condition and was to be kept on the general ward overnight.

Police said that the student allegedly responsible for the stabbing was arrested and, accompanied by her guardian, taken in for questioning.

CedarBridge student stabbed Mr. Payette said he would not want comment on the matter until Police and the school had a fuller understanding of what happened.

He was "shocked and disappointed'' but not about to lose perspective of the progress made at the school to bring students together and build their pride in CedarBridge, he said.

"The students are finally working together, but then this happens and threatens to blow all their effort away.

"We have worked very hard to achieve the positive atmosphere here and lately there's been a tremendous pride in the school, attendance is up and even little things like what the students wear to school has improved.

"And there is no way we are going to let all of our work be blown away by this one incident.''