The Oratory School

Boys & Girls, 11-18
Day & Boarding
Oxfordshire

"The Oratory School is an independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 11 to 18, set in a beautiful 100-acre rural location near Reading. The school was founded in 1859 by Saint John Henry Newman to provide an alternative to other Catholic establishments of the time. Today, it welcomes pupils of all faiths and of none."

  • The Oratory School is a coed senior school, offering both day and boarding places.
  • The school welcomes approximately 300 pupils with boys and girls aged from 11 to 18 years.
  • The Oratory School is located at Reading in Oxfordshire.
Find answers to frequently asked questions about The Oratory School.
Age
Boys & Girls, 11-18
Type
Senior
Category
Day & Boarding
Size
300 pupils
The Oratory School

Julian Murphy is Head of The Oratory School.

Ethos of The Oratory School

Junior pupils are part of St Philip House where after they move into one of the four Senior Houses. All pupils, whether day or boarding, benefit from the family atmosphere of the house system where older and younger pupils learn and support each other. 'It is this supportive environment and strong pastoral care that nurtures the confidence, self-expression, and resilience that are vital for success and happiness in the world of today.'

The school aims to focus on the whole pupil seeking to 'draw out and develop their innate gifts, skills and talents, which we believe each of them has in abundance, be they academic, sporting, artistic, dramatic or inter-personal'.

Attain asked the school, what makes The Oratory different – and why should parents consider it?

The Oratory has the highest grade of 'excellent' for both Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) categories – pupils’ academic and other achievements and pupils’ personal development. This is a wonderful endorsement of all the improvements that have been made at The Oratory in the last few years – academically, pastorally and in our co-curricular life.

The ISI Educational Quality inspection took place in November. It described Oratory pupils as "show(ing) high levels of understanding for their age. They show self-confidence in many areas of school life, are resilient and adapt well to new situations."

The Oratory became co-educational in 2020 and this move has proved extremely successful, both in terms of girl numbers and the experience for girls and boys alike.

In our second academic year as a co-educational school, our 1st XI girls' hockey team won the U18s Berkshire league in their first term of competitive hockey. The Oratory U15s rugby team went through to the School Cup National Plate Final. The side won the South West regional section of the competition in January.
Source: The Oratory School
The Oratory School

Visiting The Oratory School

Open Events provide a wonderful opportunity to visit a school and discover more about the community, values and ethos. Find out more about open mornings at The Oratory School.

The Oratory School

The Oratory School Fees, Inspections & Governance

Inspections

The Oratory School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) on behalf of the Department for Education. Routine inspections take place once every three years.

Governance

The school is a registered charity managed by trustees. Read more about the charity structure and how it is run on the Charity Commission website.

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The Oratory School Admissions

To find out more about The Oratory School, contact the Admissions team at the school.

The Oratory School location map
OS

The Oratory School
Woodcote, Nr Reading, Oxfordshire, RG8 0PJ.

Boys & Girls, 11-18 · Day & Boarding

To discover more, visit the The Oratory School website.

The Oratory School Leavers' Destinations

At the end of their time at The Oratory School, pupils go on to a number of leading senior schools. Recent destinations include:

Scroll right to see all the details about the schools below, including type and location.

Have you considered these Oxfordshire catchment area schools?

Scroll right to see all the details about the schools below, including type and location.
Day & Boarding
Girls, 11-18
Ascot
Day & Boarding
Boys & Girls, 11-18
Henley-on-Thames
Day & Boarding
Boys & Girls, 13-18
Oxford
Day & Boarding
Girls, 11-18
Ascot
Day & Boarding
Boys & Girls, 2-13
Reading
Day & Boarding
Boys & Girls, 13-18
Crowthorne

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