Howard Briggs - WESTCLIFF HIGH SCHOOL FOR BOYS The Conservative candidate for Blenheim Park Ward, Southend-on-Sea, May 2010
Site Plan  Home      Résumé     Personal     Political     Professional     Family   Interests     Rotary     Choirs     Singing     Rugby     Westcliff HS  Southend Fund     Awards  Articles     Article 1     Article 2     Article 3     Article 4     Article 5  Contacts	It may seem strange that I have included a page on my old school, but I wanted to pay tribute to what this establishment has done for me and thousands like me. As a boy it gave me an enquiring mind which is essential for the development of the adult who wishes to improve himself, his community or country. It is only through knowledge that we can learn just how little we know as well as how much we know. It is this yearning to know more that drives individuals and nations towards a better future. Multiply this by all the children who have attended the school and thousands of other good schools across the country and only then do we begin to understand the civilization in which we live. For many years I have been a governor of Westcliff for Boys and have watched year after year as young people have benefited from their experience there. I am proud to have paid a miniscule part in their development but the main credit must go to the headmaster and staff who work ceaselessly to give their students a brighter and better future. In Southend we are fortunate to have a number of schools of this calibre and I do not simply mean the grammar schools, excellent as they are. However, there are some which have not had such a happy experience over the past few years and it is these which we must constantly strive to improve. Not everyone is blessed with academic, artistic, sporting or practical talents but every child is just as precious as any other child. In our pursuit of ever intrusive government objectives and positions in league tables we must never forget that we are dealing with young people who are the future of our nation and they all need schools as good as the one which I was lucky enough to attend.
	Westcliff High School For Boys Page Chuckle A small boy was struggling with his homework. "Dad, Can you help me with my maths?" asked the boy. "I could" replied his father, "But it wouldn't be right would it?" "Probably not," said the boy. "But you could at least give it a try." Click here to to return to the top of the page.