Five minutes with our Head Prefect
By OBHS | Posted: Wednesday August 13, 2025
As the academic year approaches its end, we caught up with our 2025 Head Prefect, Charlie Ottrey, to reflect on his year.
1. Was being Head Prefect something you aimed for from your first day, or did it just happen?
From my first day, I didn’t walk in thinking, "I’m going to be Head Prefect one day." For me, I just came to school to be the best version of myself and not try to be someone I’m not. I got involved in a number of activities in both sport and academics. While doing this, I was able to build connections with a wide range of boys from all walks of life. Over time, the opportunities and connections I made turned into trust and respect from others. So, no, it wasn’t a single long-term goal, but rather the result of consistently turning up and offering my best.
2. What learning from the ABNZ Conference you attended in May have you put into your leadership since you returned?
One of the biggest takeaways was the importance of leading with authenticity. We talked about how leadership doesn’t mean having all the answers — it’s about listening and trusting those around you. Since then, I’ve really put faith in my team of prefects, as it’s important to delegate jobs to those around you.
3. What have you used for positive support or inspiration this year?
I’ve relied on the people around me — fellow prefects, staff members, and friends — to bounce ideas off and to give honest feedback. These people have backed me 100%. I’ve also taken inspiration from past leaders at OBHS, especially seeing how they handled challenges. My older brother has offered me a few tips along the way, which have helped with significant events.
4. What has been the biggest difference between what you thought being HP was going to be like and what it actually is like?
I expected it to be mostly about speeches, events, and “representing” the school. In reality, it’s about the small, everyday leadership activities. Being Head Prefect means always being present and putting your best foot forward for others to follow. I also didn’t expect how much time and energy it would take to balance leadership duties, schoolwork, and sporting commitments. This can get very tiring at times, so it’s important to try not to fall behind.
5. What have been two highlights?
One of the key highlights for me was attending the ABNZ Head Boy Conference. During this, I was able to meet and learn from a number of fellow Head Boys, as well as listen to some impressive guest speakers. The speakers included Tevita Funaki, who has earned the New Zealand Order of Merit for his career dedicated to promoting Pasifika health and wellbeing. Rachel Taulu, principal at Marist Girls’ College in Auckland, shared a unique perspective on young men as leaders from a female’s point of view. Finally, we had James Parsons, a former All Black, and Roger Mortimer, a performance coach, who shared ideas about human collaboration and staying calm in pressure situations.
From these speeches, I took away two key lessons:
Before you become a leader, you need to earn the trust of those around you.
Being the loudest isn’t always the best.
This left me with invaluable knowledge that I will carry with me through everyday life.
Another highlight from this year has been helping to organise Prefects Unite, an event that involved prefect groups from across the Otago region. We listened to guest speakers Max Chu and Pippa Faulton, who shared inspiring leadership ideas. It was also a great chance for prefects from different schools to meet and learn from each other. What made this a highlight for me was Max — Head Prefect at OBHS in 2017 — messaging me after the event, saying what a great job we had done. That made me happy, knowing that people felt what I was doing as Head Prefect had a meaningful effect.
6. What can the school expect from the Prefects as we move into the last part of the year?
We want to finish the year strong, keeping up the energy and enthusiasm for the final weeks we have at this great school. This means staying visible to the students and continuing to set the standard in behaviour and effort. We want to maintain the energy we’ve built this year right through to the last day. When we look back on these final weeks, we want to know we brought the same enthusiasm we started with. By doing this, we hope to leave a positive legacy for next year’s leaders and beyond.
