WHOEVER said schooldays are the happiest of your life must have had a very boring adulthood.

Childhood is all very well and good, but making your own decisions, carving out your own future, gives far more of a buzz. But certainly schools play a major role in how good a start you have in life. As you make your way in the world your demeanour, your attitude, work ethic and, of course, qualifications, are vital.

I had the pleasure of visiting Emmanuel College in Gateshead earlier this week, recently accredited as third best comprehensive in England and Wales in terms of GCSE success.

This is a tremendous achievement considering the school is only a decade old and takes pupils from some of the most challenging backgrounds.

But it is not just in exam results that this success is evident. Pupils are polite and respectful, but also show individuality and humour. The college instils Christian values and expects pupils to abide by a rule book. One lad told me there are so many rules it's easier just to learn and follow them than work against them. This is a wonderful lesson for life.

I have come across people who spend their entire working day plotting how to get off five minutes early, cut a corner or avoid a job. I suspect these are the same people who regard schooldays as the happiest of their lives - because in their classrooms you could get away with anything, no one cared if you broke the rules.

Out in the real world such people are not used to rules and divert all their energy to beating the system - and invariably they turn into life's losers. They would be far happier and achieve much more if they focused their energy on something positive.

If children are to get the best start in life it's important that schools teach them that rules are there for a purpose and those who break them will be punished - that's why I hope more schools will follow the teachings of Emmanuel College.

Because of its rulebook and Christian belief, Emmanuel College probably has its enemies within the politically-correct brigade. Sadly, the PC bandwagon has made major strides in recent years to the point where debate is now stifled amid accusations of racism, fascism, sexism or whatever 'ism' is currently in vogue.

One such example was the decision of some constabularies to change their name from police force to police service. The candyfloss brigade reasoned the word 'force' sent out the wrong message and 'service' was far more appealing. What utter nonsense. I think force sends out exactly the right message to the criminals.

Perhaps I am also 'off line' in my views of the beggars who now blight many towns and cities. Certainly in Middlesbrough these beggars are not destitute as they draw benefit and have homes to go to. They usually target lone women and become aggressive if people refuse to hand over their hard-earned cash.

My aim is to drive beggars from the streets of Middlesbrough and I hope other towns will follow suit. If that puts me at odds with the PC brigade, then tough. They can invite the beggars to live in their backyards.