The Friends of John Ball are a registered charity and the PTA (Parent Teacher Association) for John Ball Primary School, in Blackheath. All parents and carers with children at John Ball, and all members of staff at the school, are automatically part of The Friends.
As a PTA, we have three key priorities:
To raise money to fund the ‘extra’ initiatives that are not provided for by the school’s budget
To run fun and well organised events for pupils, parents and carers to enjoy
To bring the John Ball community together
We are always looking for people to help us achieve these goals, so please get in touch if you can volunteer your time, expertise and enthusiasm.
Be sure to follow our Facebook and Instagram pages to keep up-to-date with all our recent news.
The Friends of John Ball with the support of families and the wider community contribute significantly to the school life of all JB pupils. You can see just some of our achievements here.
Library Revamp
Thanks to support from the charity, the library has been refreshed with new shelving to better showcase and enjoy books 📖
Vending Machine Reward Restock
Little rewards for big hearts 💛 Thanks to the wonderful support from our Autumn Celebration Party, we’ve restocked the school’s reward vending machine! 📚🎁 This special machine helps celebrate the children’s kindness, effort, and achievements, giving them a little treat to mark something big.
Sensory Garden
Thanks to £31k raised by our community, an area of the school grounds has been transformed into a beautiful sensory garden with children’s gym equipment. We’re proud to continue supporting the space with ongoing maintenance so it can be enjoyed for years to come 🌿
Sports Day Funding
Costs of hiring Sutcliffe Park for Year 6 Sports Day were covered by the charity.
Year 1 Classroom Resources
Year 1 classes have received equipment for the introduction of more play-based learning.
What We Have Achieved in 2025
The Friends of John Ball with the support of families and the wider community contribute significantly to the school life of all JB pupils. You can see just some of our achievements here.
Library Revamp
Thanks to support from the charity, the library has been refreshed with new shelving to better showcase and enjoy books 📖
Vending Machine Reward Restock
Little rewards for big hearts 💛 Thanks to the wonderful support from our Autumn Celebration Party, we’ve restocked the school’s reward vending machine! 📚🎁 This special machine helps celebrate the children’s kindness, effort, and achievements, giving them a little treat to mark something big.
Sensory Garden
Thanks to £31k raised by our community, an area of the school grounds has been transformed into a beautiful sensory garden with children’s gym equipment. We’re proud to continue supporting the space with ongoing maintenance so it can be enjoyed for years to come 🌿
Sports Day Funding
Costs of hiring Sutcliffe Park for Year 6 Sports Day were covered by the charity.
Year 1 Classroom Resources
Year 1 classes have received equipment for the introduction of more play-based learning.
An event this spectacular doesn’t happen without the incredible power of our community. The Friends of John Ball team is looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help us make the day a roaring success.
Whether you can spare just one hour to run a stall, help us set up in the morning, or assist with packing away at 3:00 PM, every single bit of help makes a massive difference for the school.
A huge thank you to Sally, her organising team, the volunteers, marshals, and every single person who laced up their trainers or clapped from the sidelines. You make the John Ball community so incredibly special!
Over the first weekend in May, 15 determined cyclists took on a mammoth fundraising challenge, riding all the way from Blackheath, South East London, to the historic city of Ghent in Belgium.
