The Oratory School is rated 'Excellent' in ISI inspection
The Oratory School has received the highest grade of Excellent for both Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) categories – pupils’ academic and other achievements and pupils’ personal development.
The Independent Schools Inspectorate took place between 2nd and 5th November 2021.
The report describes Oratory pupils as showing: 'high levels of self-understanding for their age. They show self-confidence in many areas of school life, are resilient and adapt well to new situations’ – attributes particularly important in these unprecedented times.
Oratory pupils ‘respect’ yet ‘are not afraid to challenge the beliefs and cultural attitudes of others… unkindness or misbehaviour.’
They were also praised for having ‘an excellent understanding of the importance of making good decisions’ as well as for ‘showing ambition and a clear understanding of how to get the best from their lessons.’
The ISI described leadership of The Oratory as encouraging of ‘both inclusivity and excellence’ and acknowledged the school’s initiatives to raise academic attainment, declaring A Level results as ‘excellent’ and describing teaching as ‘consistently well planned’ with ‘additional support available outside lesson time.’
It also commented on the ‘strong relationships’ by pupils with their peer group as well as teaching and boarding staff – with the school motto, Heart Speaks to Heart, ‘enacted daily.’
Joe Smith, Head Master said: "The results are an absolutely wonderful reflection on Oratory pupils and the staff who work so hard to support and guide them.
"Inspections are all about pupil outcomes – what the school does being considered “contributory factors” in those outcomes – and throughout the inspection, inspectors were extremely complimentary about our pupils in all sorts of different ways.
"It was really quite moving and a privilege to hear what they said about them."
He concluded: "This independent and rigorous judgement is a wonderful endorsement that we are firmly on the right path."
