He's just come in from an assembly for 1100 kids, after coming in from another assembly for 900 kids – back to back assemblies.

That's how a big school rolls. 'It's marvellous – kids! I love them.”

But soon that will be it for 'Sir”. After 47 years in education, Otumoetai College principal Dave Randell, 'Sir” or just Dave, will pack his chalk, his textbooks and laptop and walk out of his study for the last time.

'Certainly with mixed feelings. And hesitation,” he told me when I asked whether I should be commiserating or congratulating him.

'It's your life for 30 years and suddenly you're not going to be there. It'll be sad.”

Dave had just rung me back. That's how this boss operates. A reporter rings and Dave rings back. He's a revelation because most bosses avoid the media.

'Doesn't matter how bad the story is, we can always make it good. Accentuate the positive.”

This from a kind of CEO with a staff of 250 and 2000 clients. This from a kind of CEO who deals with 90 emails a day, dozens of phone calls and four or five meetings. He squeezes things in because they are important to someone.

'Even if we stuff up, we front up. We learn from it and we decide how we are going to handle it and what we are going to do.”

It's a chat laced with 'bloody” this and 'bugger” that and 'mate” this and 'mate” that.

But it's always 'Sir” from the kids. 'We cling to old-fashioned values here and they work.”

Right from the moment, 'Sir” ascends the stage at assembly. The head boy orders 'school stand” and it's all done with a respectful silence to 'Sir”.

'Just like that,” says Dave. 'And I am thinking, ‘Good boy. Well done'.”

All very English public school. But all good schools are built on tradition.

But why's Dave going? Was he pushed? 'Quite the opposite. People are asking me why?”

Like some of his adored 'rat bags” who demanded to know from 'Sir” if they had brought about his resignation by doing something wrong.

'I said they had done nothing wrong. So then they said, ‘Why leave us?' That was followed up by, 'You are the best principal we have ever had at this school”. I said that's nice but I am the ONLY principal you have ever had at this school. Delightful naivety but it made me feel really great.”

Retirement has been 'imposed” on Dave, who's bearing down on 69.

'It's life and it happens when you are 65 and you get your gold card. That's a little signal you must be getting to a certain time in your life.”

Is it age or are they over Dave Randell? 'No, no, don't think so, I hope not. Although some kids would certainly be over Dave Randell.”

PRIDE AND SUCCESS

And there's the call of that Matchbox toy collection in his attic. That's right, the man who runs a big business loves small toys, small die cast toys so called because they could fi t in a match box.

'I have 2500 of them that need to be catalogued.” He's purring at the thought. 'Bloody good investment. I have a set of magnificent fi re engines – all boxed and numbered.”

Dave bought them for $80-$90 each and they are selling for up to 300 pounds on the English market. A hobby with handsome dividends.

Dave also wants to commit some time to 16 grandchildren and travel with his wife.

'So I want to go out when I am feeling fi t and strong and on top of my game.”

Pride is a word that figures largely in this principal's lexicon. 'When we have the first Year 9 assembly I welcome the kids to the best school in town. And I am the principal of the best school in town. Do they honestly think I would be the second best principal of the second best school in town?”

That's pride! And when this 'old sod” is just a memory, he hopes they will still be regurgitating his sentiments about success.

'I tell the students I believe in success – because success is not an option, it is expected.”

DESIRE TO EXCEL

There's the ‘B' word. 'With that expectation of success, students have to have a passion and desire to excel. That's when I tell them they have got to BELIEVE in themselves.”

But 'Sir” will not countenance the ‘F' word – never, ever. That's ‘F' for fail. 'I don't like it or use it. I help kids believe in themselves.”

Being a principal of a college is a 'mad job”, according to Dave. 'The young people keep you alive but it has its challenges. Like what?

'Like drugs, like violence, like abuse and the internet, and family interactions... and suicides. It's a real worry for me, hell yeah.” And probably for every other high school principal in the land. But Dave turns the problem back on the parents.

'We have got to look at ourselves as adults. What are we doing to our kids? What I do say to parents is, ‘For goodness sake make your son or daughter accountable'.

'The parents always say he or she wouldn't do that. But they did.”

But they are just the two or three per cent who are bad - about 40 kids in a school the size of Otumoetai College. 'But I have never met a generation who are such risk takers, who are such forward thinkers, who want to be involved or want to do things.” 'Sir” is accentuating the positive again.

One thing that 'Sir” will take away with him is the spirit of Otumoetai College. The 'Ot-way” Dave calls it, or the Otumoetai way.

The reporter apologises – we are trying to encapsulate a distinguished 47-year career in a 10 minute interview. Feels like an obituary. But 'Sir's” mind is whirring, his mouth going even faster.

'No, No! Carry on down this path to success and believe in yourself. You are a great school and never drop your guard. Go forward and go well.” On reflection, and with a little editing, it could be an epitaph.

And as the interview winds up, the reporter gets a mandatory 'thanks mate”. It's the charm of the man. I should have been thanking 'Sir”.

Perhaps Dave Randell, the principal who loves and respects his staff, the 'Sir” who loves and respects his students might take a few quiet moments to wander down to the grandstand which bears his name and reflect.

Then, after Christmas, he can clamber up into that attic. And consider those other options that have presented.