Our Community
PTFA
Blackheath Prep’s Parents, Teachers and Friends Association (PTFA) plays a vital role in building positive links between home, the school and our local community. PTFA volunteers work hard all year round to enrich the social aspects of our school through a varied programme of events. They also raise funds for school activities and our partner charities.
A varied programme of events take place throughout the year, ranging from the popular Christmas and summer fairs, discos, ice-cream sales and playground tea parties to the evening socials for parents and the annual quiz night. The PTFA’S fundraising efforts have raised money for many different projects and in recent years have funded two adventure playgrounds at school as well as musical instruments for our Strings, Wind and Brass programmes. Most recently, the PTFA funded the development of our Garden of Imagination used by pupils for Forest School activities and the purchase of playground games sets.
Charity in our Community
Blackheath Prep is committed to supporting charitable endeavours in our local community and abroad. We actively encourage our pupils to think about their community, and the world at large. We help them to develop an appreciation of the advantages they have and an understanding of and empathy for those who may not be as fortunate. We also encourage support from our parents.
Charities we support
At Blackheath Prep, we place great value on building ongoing partnerships with smaller charities, and those in our local area. Throughout the year, we host a wide range of pupil-led fundraising and charitable initiatives in school, including Christmas jumper days, sponsored events, and table sales. The PTFA also raises money for a variety of charities and makes regular uniform donations to two schools in Zimbabwe.
The Flying Seagull Project
We’re delighted that one of our new charities for 2024/25, as voted for by our pupils, is The Flying Seagull Project, a wonderful charity whose experienced team of entertainers, clowns and musicians spread joy and laughter through performance and play for children living in crisis, both in the UK and around the world. Their message is simple – laughter is truly a universal language and through comedy, circus and madcap energy, their volunteers bring moments of joy to children living in otherwise challenging, and often traumatic circumstances, including those living in refugee camps, asylum shelters and deprived rural communities. They also support the mental wellbeing of terminally ill children in hospices, special education centres and other young people going through difficult life challenges. Find out more about The Flying Seagull Project.
Greenwich Wildlife Network
We are also delighted to be supporting the Greenwich Wildlife Network in 2024/25, the second charity our pupils voted to support this year. The Greenwich Wildlife Network is a small, volunteer-run charity whose aim is to protect urban wildlife in Greenwich and South East London. Responding to calls from the public, their volunteers rescue and care for a wide variety of urban wildlife which may be injured or orphaned, from foxes, birds and squirrels to aquatic animals and rodents. They provide dedicated round the clock treatment and rehabilitation to enable an eventual return to the wild for the animals and birds. Find out more about their work Greenwich Wildlife Network
We regularly support the work of Lewisham-based MammaKind with donations of children’s clothes, toiletries and baby food.
The 999 Club in Deptford work with people experiencing homelessness and are one of our long-standing charity partners. We support their work with food donations from our harvest festival, and fundraising to buy new sleeping bags and other necessary items.
Other local charities we have supported
Age Exchange, Blackheath
During our bicentenary year in 2023, pupils raised money, and donated gift boxes, to support Age Exchange’s work with people living with dementia.
In 2023, pupils raised over £1,200 for this wildlife conservation centre, based on the river Thames in Deptford.
National charities we have supported
Poppy Appeal
International charities we have supported
We regularly support the work of Mary’s Meals who provide meals for children living in poverty around the world. Other fundraising includes working with The Raheli Trust to support two pupils, Agnes and Grace, through their schooling in Tanzania.