Otumoetai's teaching trio of dad, son and daughter

Adam, Mary-Ann and Paul Braddock all teach at Otumoetai College. Photo/Andrew Warner

"The most supportive family at Otumoetai College is the Braddocks," says the school principal.

That's because former students and siblings Mary-Ann and Adam Braddock are now teaching at the school alongside their father Paul Braddock.

Their two sisters Tracey and Lisa are also former students and Tracey still coaches volleyball at the school.

Paul Braddock is the school's director of sports. He had played rugby with the Otumoetai Cadets but put his hand up to coach the First XV rugby team in 1994 after tearing his ACL.

"That is where it started," he said. "Been here ever since."

He coached the team for 10 years before he applied for a part-time sports administrator role at the college in 2004.

"The job has developed from there," he said.

His children Adam and Mary-Ann are physical education teachers at the school.

Adam started two weeks ago and co-coaches the school's First XV rugby team alongside his father.

He also coaches the senior girls' basketball and volleyball teams, while his sister also coaches volleyball and mentors the netball referees.

Mary-Ann was a student in 2000-2004 and started as a teacher in 2009.

"It was not a hard decision to apply and to go for it," she said.

"I never applied for any other job or looked anywhere else after that."

She now works with most of her old teachers in the sports department.

"That first couple of years was really awkward not calling a teacher a teacher and not calling them Mr or Miss and walking alongside them into the staffroom.

"But they would instantly treat you as a peer, like a colleague."

Adam was a student in 2007-2011 while his father and sister worked at the school.

"I have had them around the school the whole time," he said.

"It's sort of natural for me to be working in the same place as them."

He had applied for jobs around the Bay but was unsuccessful, so he applied at Otumoetai.

"I was open to go to other places but this is where I felt comfortable and welcome. I felt like I already had that connection with students here. So it made it quite easy coming in as a new grad teacher."

Mary-Ann admitted the family had their "heated debates" over dinner from time to time.

"Sometimes we clash and that has taken a few years to get used to, and for Dad to realise we are grown up now.

"But now we have got to a place where we work really well together."

Her father said they enjoyed each other's company.

"We all have the same outlook and life and passions."

To be teaching alongside his children was "pretty cool".

"Having Adam coach with me in the First XV has been fantastic."

Principal Dave Randell said it was brilliant to have former students come back to teach at the school.

"One of the good things is they know the ethos of the place.

"When you get ex-students wanting to come back to the school they have got to have that passion and that belief."