Blackheath Prep is a happy and thriving co-educational prep school for children aged 3 to 11. It is located in an idyllic setting on the edge of the heath close to Blackheath Village, and its five-acre site offers superb specialist facilities, large playgrounds, forest school areas and extensive playing fields. The School are about to celebrate 200 years at their site, with 25 years of prep school excellence. Catering for nearly 400 pupils, Blackheath Prep offers an education without boundaries.

There are many outstanding benefits to a Blackheath Prep education; a broad and rich curriculum, excellent preparation for the Senior School application process, and superb pastoral care. Every year the School achieves outstanding results with Senior School places and a large number of children achieving scholarships. The School's pupils also engage with the community through community service and charitable fundraising, which are included in the School's wide-ranging curriculum all the way up to Year Six. The School also participates in national events across the year, such as Children's Mental Health Awareness Week, Odd Socks Day and Safer Internet Day, to ensure a broad range of information, experiences and stimulating discussion takes place in School. Blackheath Prep's vision centres around wellbeing - each term the School focuses on a different aspect of wellbeing, such as 'Growing Together' or 'Think Big'. 

The School has recently rewritten their vision, outlining seven core values to guide its approach to teaching and learning, pastoral care and wellbeing and engagement with the community: Kindness, Curiosity, Freedom, Ambition, Courage, Community, and Joy. Blackheath Prep encourages every child to make the most of their time at the School so that when they complete their School journey, they are ready for the next stage of their education and have the foundation for a successful, happy and fulfilled life.

The day-to-day running of Blackheath Prep rests in the hands of the Head, Alex Matthews, the Senior Leadership Team and the staff. The Governing Body is responsible for advising on the overall strategic priorities and, where appropriate, guiding on particular areas of expertise.

Governors ensure that there is a clear long-term strategy for the School, allowing the Senior Leadership Team to have the scope and confidence to handle day-to-day challenges, while holding them to account. They will guide the Board as it tackles both short and long-term issues, providing constructive challenge and support to the executive team on how to deliver the School's unique and wide-ranging education. It is also hoped that Governors will engage with School life beyond Board meetings, such as attending regular or ad hoc events.

Blackheath Prep is seeking up to four new Governors with experience in one (or more) of the following areas: Education, IT / Digital, Marketing / Communications, HR & People, Third Sector, or Finance. The new Governors will be commercially minded across various sectors, and have the relevant knowledge to contribute to the Board in at least one of the following areas, to continue to build the School's impact and navigate through the next stage of its development.

Education: This person will bring current experience from the educational sector, either at Primary or Secondary levels. This candidate could come from state or independent Schools, and will have held a senior leadership role.

IT / Digital: This person will bring senior strategic experience in IT and / or Digital. Applicants may be a CIO, Head of Digital, or may be an IT or Technology leader, who has specialised in digital transformation.

Marketing / Communications: This person will bring senior leadership experience in Marketing and/or Communications in either a commercial or not-for-profit organisation. 

HR / EDI: This person will bring senior generalist HR experience, or will have extensive experience in People and Wellbeing. Successful candidates may be an HR Director or an EDI specialist.

Third sector: This person will bring experience from an executive or non-executive role within the third sector.

Finance: This candidate will bring senior strategic financial experience. Applicants may be a CFO, or Financial Director, and may be a qualified accountant - but may also be qualified by experience.

Above all, the successful candidates will share the Board's interest in, and enthusiasm for, young people's education, as well as a commitment to Blackheath Prep’s goals and values, and an understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion.

A list of the current Governors can be found here.

The time commitment is around 10-12 days / year. There are three Board meetings and one Sub-Committee meeting per term. Meetings take place in person at the School. There is also one strategy day per year. Governors are appointed for an initial term of three years, which can be renewed twice at the discretion of the Board. This role is unremunerated, but reasonable, pre-agreed expenses will be reimbursed.

Blackheath Prep welcomes applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability. As those from ethnic minority backgrounds are currently under-represented on the Board, applications from those individuals would be particularly encouraged. All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process. In line with the Equality Act 2010, however, the organisation may employ positive action where candidates from underrepresented groups can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well.