Westcliff High School for Boys (WHSB) is an 11–18 selective academy grammar school for boys in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England. In September 2001 the school was awarded ‘Beacon’ status for its breadth of achievements and quality of work. The school was classed as a humanities college in early 2007 and received a further specialism in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) on 1 April 2009. The school converted to academy status in 2010.
Headmasters
1920 – 1942, Herbert Glynne Williams
1943 – 1946, Eric Ayres
1947 – 1970, Henry Cloke
1970 – 1990, Peter Clarke
1990 – 2012, Andrew Baker
2012–present, Michael Skelly
Notable Old Westcliffians
Maajid Nawaz, activist and former radio presenter
Ali Abdaal, YouTuber and educator
Alf Adams, professor of physics at the University of Surrey from 1987 to 2008
Peter Bone, Conservative MP for Wellingborough
Ian James Brackley, former Bishop of Dorking
Gary Brooker, lead singer of the band Procol Harum
Chris Clarke, leader of Somerset County Council from 1993 to 2000
Alan Cook, physicist
Geoffrey Crawley, photographic expert and journalist, and exposer of the Cottingley Fairies hoax Edward Greenfield, music critic working for The Guardian from 1977 to 1993 Benjamin Grosvenor, musician Neil Harman, chief tennis correspondent, The Times Joshua Hayward, musician Alan Hurst, former Labour MP for Braintree (1997–2005) Jon Hutton, former Labour cabinet minister, now a life peer Stuart Jack, Governor of the Cayman Islands from 2005 to 2009 Wilko Johnson, rock musician, guitarist/vocalist, and songwriter, for Dr. Feelgood Nigel Maddox, station commander of RAF Bruggen from 1996 to 1999 David Nixon, magician James O'Donnell, organist and choirmaster of Westminster Abbey 2000-2022 Julian Parkhill, professor at the University of Cambridge Bob Parr, Emmy Award-winning television producer, MBE, Doctor of Philosophy and Associate of King’s College London (AKC) Jamie Reeves, two-time FA Vase winning semi-professional footballer and football pundit Eric Sams, musicologist and Shakespeare scholar Derek Wyatt, Labour Member of Parliament for Sittingbourne and Sheppey 1997–2010. Played rugby union for Oxford University and England