Our History
Celebrating 200 years of our school: 1823 – 2023
Take a step back in time and discover 200 years of history of our school.
In 1823, the Rev. W. Greenlaw founded a Christian boys’ boarding school in the building that is home to Blackheath Prep today. Later known as Christ’s College, the boarding school largely attracted the sons of servicemen and professionals working in Africa, Asia and America. It was subsequently privately owned by a succession of Headmasters until it became a charitable trust in the 1950s.
In the 1990s, a selective co-educational nursery and pre-prep was opened at the school and quickly became hugely popular with local families. As demand for places at the nursery grew, interest in Christ’s College dwindled and by 1998 the governors deemed the boarding school financially unviable. After 175 years as a boys’ boarding school, Christ’s College finally closed its doors.
In 1998, the nursery school was joined by a new prep school and both went from strength to strength. Refurbishment of the older buildings and the addition of new ones took place, including a multi-purpose hall in 2006 and a new dining hall and music suite in 2007.
In 2011, the school was formally renamed Blackheath Preparatory School. The original chapel at Christ’s College’s was converted into a library and, in 2015, a state-of-the-art art, design and technology block was added.
In September 2020, Blackheath Preparatory School welcomed its current Head, Alex Matthews. In 2021, the school began a period of transformation including a new name – Blackheath Prep – and the introduction of a brand new school crest.
In 2023 we are proud to be celebrating 200 years of our school and our long history of educating children in the local area. Watch a short video with highlights of how we will be celebrating our bicentenary this year.
From September 2023, Blackheath Prep entered a new and exciting chapter in the school’s history when it became part of the Eltham College Family of Schools. Find out more.
