Welcome

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:

  1. To raise money to fund the ‘extra’ initiatives that are not provided for by the school’s budget
  2. To run fun and well organised events for pupils, parents and carers to enjoy
  3. 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.

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  • 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.

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.

Event Success