Local Community and beyond
Sidcup’s oldest established prep school, Merton Court, plays an important part in both supporting the local community and in participating in local events. The school has developed a close relationship with its parish and our pupils demonstrate consideration and respect for residents and the local environment. The school takes part in switching on the Christmas lights at the start of the Festive Season in Sidcup while our choir sings Christmas Carols to warm the hearts of the people of the town. They also visit and entertain the residents of Frognal House Care Home several times a year.
St John’s Church
St John’s is home to our yearly Harvest Festival, which provides a great opportunity for us to give thanks for all that we receive and also to think of those less fortunate. All food and donations brought in by the children goes to support the homeless at the ‘Manna Centre’ in London. Keeping up a lovely tradition, we also hold our Christmas Carol Service here every year. In Advent and in Lent, Reverend Cathy helps us in our preparation by leading our school assemblies. An exciting part of the school year is when each year group has the chance to experience cross-curricular Art, History or English lessons at St John’s, using it as a living resource.
Charities and fundraising events
We have developed a number of long-standing relationships with local charities and are often involved in fund-raising activities. Each term we hold regular events to support our chosen charities.
Autumn 2023
‘CENTREPIECES’
(Local mental health recovery charity through arts)
Total: £514.51
Proceeds from ‘Book Character Dressing Up Day’
‘CANCER RESEARCH UK’
Total: £1,575.50
Proceeds from:
Junior Christmas Production: £1,055.67
Christmas Jumper Day: £519.83
ROYAL BRITISH LEGION – POPPY APPEAL
Total: £712.78
Summer 2023
Ukrainian Animal Rescue
The total amount raised was:
Total: £576.13
Proceeds from:
‘Perfect Pet’ Dressing Up Day: £470.13
Pet Day: £106.00
Spring 2023
Round Table Children’s Wish
(a wish charity for ill and terminal ill children and young adults)
Proceeds from:
Favourite National Costume Dressing Up Day
£591.12
Autumn 2022
THE WOODEN SPOON (Local Sport Charity)
Total: £397.31
Proceeds from ‘Favourite Sports Personality Dressing Up Day’
DEC PAKISTAN FLOOD RELIEF
Total: £1,703.80
Proceeds from:
Shaheer Imran’s Christmas Bazaar Stall – £288.04
Christmas Jumper Day – £462.25
Production & Carol Service – £953.51
ROYAL BRITISH LEGION – POPPY APPEAL
Total: £359.61
Summer 2022
Summer term’s chosen charity was Dnepr Children’s City Hospital №3 in Ukraine for the Intensive Care Baby Unit.
The grand total amount raised was: £4,663.40
Proceeds from:
Art for Ukraine: £317.78
Sponsored Litter Picking: £3,290.52
Own Clothes Day: £955.10
S4 Cake Sale Donation: £100.00
Spring 2022
We Are Beams
Beams is a local charity, based in Swanley, that supports disabled children, young people and their families.
Grand total: £1,043.91
Proceeds from
Dressing Up Day – £434.74
Bedtime for Beams – £609.17
Autumn 2021
British Divers Marine Life Rescue
BDMLR’s mission is to provide assistance to any aquatic (marine and fresh water) animals in need of help (24hrs – seven days a week). Seal rescue is a major component of their work with medics rescuing animals in all seasons around the UK.
Grand total: £1,420.91
Proceeds from:
Junior Production – £647.50
Christmas Jumper Day – £477.91
S4 Seals, knitted mermaids & bracelets – £295.50
Autumn Term 2020
Crossroads Care (Kent) – will be our adopted charity for this term. Crossroads Care is the leading carers’ charity in Kent. They deliver care and support for anyone living with the challenges of caring, unpaid, for a family member or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental health problems.
Summer Term 2020
S4 Business Challenge raised:
‘Squiggle’ – £75 to ‘It’s my life’ trust fund.
‘The Sunny Stall’ – £15 to Battersea Dogs Home
‘The Sweet Shop’ – £15 to Cancer Research UK
‘Tropical Tangz’ – £20 to St Christopher’s Hospice
‘Snack Snack’ – £30 to ‘Emily walks 10 miles’ for NHS Charities Together.
Spring Term 2020
Our chosen charity for this term was Kent Wide Down Syndrome. We raised money by dressing up as our favourite book characters and having a cake sale. We also had an extremely funny day when we all wore ‘lots of socks’.
We successfully raised: £280.70
Autumn Term 2019
Access4All – As St John’s Church is a big part of our community we thought we would choose it as our autumn charity. They are trying hard to raise money to update their facilities and also increase an area of the church to accommodate all of their visitors.
We successfully raised £2,564.74 to go towards this very worthy cause.
Summer Term 2019
The London Air Ambulance was our chosen charity for the summer term and School raised an incredible £2,936 towards this vital service.
Spring Term 2019
During the spring term we chose to support the NSPCC. To raise money we had a ‘Danceathon’ where the whole school took part in a dance. Through sponsorship we managed to raise £5055.22 which is a magnificent amount of money to give to this very important charity.
Autumn Term 2018
The Wooden Spoon is a children’s charity involving rugby. They fund life-changing projects across the UK and Ireland to support disadvantaged and disabled children. To raise money we had a cake sale, wore Christmas jumpers and collected the proceeds from our Christmas production. We raised a total of £1614.19.
Spring Term 2018
Our charities for this academic year, chosen by our School Council, are ‘Hedgehog Haven’, ‘Lord’s Taverners’ and ‘Ghost Fishing’.
The Autumn Term charity was ‘Hedgehog Haven’. Donations from the Junior Production ‘A Christmouse Tail’ was £540.22. ‘Wear a Christmas Jumper Day’ raised £512.90 along with the S4 cake sale and knitted hedgehog sale which raised an amazing £651.25. This means our grand total for Hedgehog Haven amounted to £1,704.37 and this will go towards a ‘Hedgehog Hotel’ to house over thirty injured hedgehogs and hoglets. If you would like to see pictures and read stories about the hedgehogs in their new home you can find them on facebook @ Hedgehog Haven North Norfolk.
We also had a collection for Children in Need with children bringing in round pounds and £298.00 was raised.
Thank you so much for your continued generosity!