A geography teacher will this week draw to a close a career spanning four decades at a school that has transformed from a boys' grammar in East London to a mixed comprehensive in Garston.

After 38 years at Parmiter's School, beginning in Bethnal Green and ending at its current site in High Elms Lane, Paul Kitchiner will retire from teaching on Friday.

Tonight (Wednesday), 165 colleagues and former pupils will gather for a celebration in his honour.

He said: “It has been an enormous amount of fun, it really has. It's actually a privilege to work with young people and to work in a school that's so caring.”

Paul, 61, read geography at Swansea University and took his post graduate education certificate at Nottingham University. He then completed his teaching practice in Boston, Lincolnshire, before joining Parmiter's, in Bethnal Green, in September 1971.

An assistant geography teacher, he also taught economics, commerce and games. Three years later he became head of geography.

He was part of the staff that saw the school gradually move to High Elms Lane, Garston, between 1977 and 1981, and was appointed head of sixth form by the early 1980s.

In the mid-1990s, he was handed the title of Second Master. He is also director of studies, oversees staff in-school training and is responsible for examinations.

He said: “It's the only school I've ever taught at. Along the way I've picked up almost every job going.

“The great thing is I've been very lucky to be at a school like this for 38 years, which is the prime reason why I've stayed for so long.”

Throughout his time at Parmiter's, Paul has remained close to the school's music programme, which links with his own interest in opera.

He launched the Sixth Form Theatre Club for students and staff, selling more than 20,000 tickets to a number of Watford Palace Theatre and West End productions.

“My own interest in theatre is great. I love it. It gives me an enormous buzz. I ran it for more than ten years. The one thing that remains is we still take over Watford Palace Theatre for one night for the pantomime.”

Paul, who lives in St Albans, has also enjoyed watching his students move up through the school and has seen many of them embark on successful careers, including Steve Finn, the Middlesex cricketer.

“That to me is fascinating,” he said, “seeing students down the school, in the sixth form and making a success of their careers.

“It's been a privilege to be part of this development. To start at a school from scratch with the very first students and go from a first year of 172 students to 1,260 today, that's been fascinating.

“We have developed as a family. It's been great simply to be a part of that.

“The students have this fierce loyalty and enormous respect for the school. I think they know they are going to get a quality education if they play their part. The quality of school sport and music is phenomenal.”

Though his duties will end on Friday, when the school breaks for the summer, Paul plans to return for A-Level results day next month.

However, he also has grand plans for his retirement.

He said: “It will be strange but I have got plenty of plans. I want to start watching county cricket again. As a geographer I want to go round the coast of this country and see large stretches of the coast I have never seen. I want to go on short opera breaks, and possibly to read another degree in opera studies in a year's time.”

Parmiter's headteacher Brian Coulshed said: “He's made a massive and unique contribution towards the development and success of the school during four decades.

“In particular, he's responsible for the establishment of one of the best sixth forms in the country.

“I have enjoyed working with Paul very much over the last 16 years and I shall personally miss him greatly. His major legacy will be the sixth form. One of his finest hours was during the Hillsborough disaster. He mentored so many people grieving the loss of [Parmiter's student] Kester Ball.”