Every School has its own traditions, its own ethos, its own identity, and its own purpose.  The purpose of Westcliff High School for Boys (WHSB) is to provide an excellent education for our pupils, supporting them in their journey to adulthood by developing character and intellect within a happy and scholarly community.  To this end WHSB provides exceptional teaching and a wealth of extra-curricular activities to develop the Learner Profile attributes (summarised below) in our pupils through a unique education filled with exciting, challenging and enjoyable experiences.

The WHSB student strives to:

• be intellectually curious - They pursue their academic interests beyond the confines of the curriculum, and are reflective, capable of self-criticism and open to improvement;
• have personal integrity - They are honest, reliable and have a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for others and themselves.  They take responsibility for their appearance and actions, and the consequences that accompany them;
• be collaborative and supportive - They actively engage, participate and make a positive contribution in group activities. They are tolerant, compassionate and dutiful members of the community;
• be open to opportunity - They are well-balanced and open-minded.  They are capable of taking a considered risk and optimistic when faced with a challenge;
• be globally aware - They are well informed regarding global events and are internationally minded.  They possess intercultural awareness and the skill to communicate in more than one language;
• be an effective communicator - They are literate and numerate, capable of speaking and presenting with fluency, confidence and the ability to persuade others.  They use ICT with maturity and effectiveness;
• be a lifelong learner - They aspire to set themselves ambitious and realistic goals.  They are resilient in the face of difficulty and possess the flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances.

At WHSB, we believe education has the power to transform lives and that it should inspire pupils to think independently and value knowledge, giving them with the confidence to become active and compassionate lifelong learners in an increasingly globalized and interdependent world.  We aim to raise aspiration and set high standards, encouraging and supporting pupils to unlock their potential and realize their ambitions on their journey to becoming well-rounded and principled people who are equipped for the challenges ahead. We are a supportive community which values and cares for the individual and fosters academic excellence, and whose dynamism allows us to provide a world-class education.

We understand that pupils will not learn effectively unless they feel happy and secure and feel that their individuality is respected.  We aim to reassure them that their difficulties are understood, and we work to extend their interests and develop their talent.  At WHSB, we address the particular needs of each and every pupil and are prepared to enforce discipline in the interests of the whole community.

We endeavour to ensure our pupils acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to equip them for adulthood.  This enables them to obtain the formal academic qualifications which allows them access to the more challenging, rewarding and satisfying aspects of life. We encourage pupils to acquire a respect for scholarship and learning and, with patience and sensitivity, we aim to inculcate beliefs and values which are worthwhile.  We want our pupils to develop an appreciation of human achievement in art, music, science, literature, and public life but also to learn to think critically, to respect evidence, to distinguish between opinions and prejudices, and to make balanced judgments of their own.  

At WHSB we foster a respect for the importance of work, self-discipline, initiative, reliability, punctuality, and tidiness.  We believe that it matters how we dress, how we speak, and how we conduct and organize our lives.  It matters too that we have high expectations of ourselves and of others. We care about conduct, honesty, trustworthiness, integrity, tolerance, and respect for the opinions, beliefs, and interests of others.  We care not only about what we achieve but how we achieve it.  We try to encourage pupils to recognize the inter-dependence of individuals, groups and nations, to understand that life should never to be entirely self-regarding and to appreciate that we do have obligations to others and to the community.  The ethic of service we value more highly than that of self-interest and believe we should be as conscious of our duties as of our rights.

Mr M A Skelly
Headmaster