Outreach
Outreach is an important part of Blackheath High School. The links we form with our local community are a vital aspect of school life, with time and energy devoted to supporting a range of initiatives. Students of all ages take part, from Nursery all the way up to the Sixth Form. We believe as a school that it is important to support the local community.
Our activities benefit many organisations, including local primary and secondary schools, Morden College, Mycenae House, and the Old Royal Naval College. Year 11 and 12 students are particularly involved in the outreach effort, with focused activities timetabled into their curriculum through Enrichment lessons. These activities include coffee afternoons with senior citizens, planned and managed community Zumba classes, and meals cooked for the Evelyn Community Store in Deptford.
The Junior School pupils regularly take part in outreach activities of their own. Year 4 were recently involved in performing a fabulous Cantata, written by Composer Lyn Marsh. They collaborated with Invicta Primary School on this, and performed together at St Alfeges Church Greenwich. Additionally, our Digital Leaders volunteer with local nursing homes to assist the residents with IT literacy, and all pupils help raise money and collect food for the annual Harvest Festival.
On a regular basis we open the doors of the school to local children, so that they can experience our outstanding teaching and utilise our specialist facilities. The most significant of these endeavours is the SHINE programme; for the 10th anniversary of the programme this year, we decided to expand our reach and partner up with the Royal Institution. Our Sixth Form students are now trained by the Royal Institution as SHINE mentors, with experience in planning and running the masterclasses. These masterclasses are delivered to 30 Year 5 students from local primary schools annually, with an opportunity for past attendees to reconnect every year at the SHINE Alumni event.
We’re very proud of our new partnership, and the opportunities it brings both our own Sixth Formers and local primary school children. Each year the Royal Institution invites students from all over the UK who have taken part in similar programmes to attend a Celebration Masterclass Event, bringing together pupils of all ages and from all walks of life.
In addition, we annually invite local primary schools to join us for a spectacular European Day of Languages celebration, and invite other local Year 10s to join our students in taking GCSE Astronomy at the Royal Observatory.
We are an active part of the local community, and open our facilities for personal hire and charity events. We also host a regular ‘neighbour forum’ at Vanbrugh Park to facilitate good communication with local residents.
