Motto |
Latin: Cor ad cor loquitur (Heart speaks to heart) |
---|---|
Established | 1859 |
Type |
Independent day and boarding Public school |
Religion | Roman Catholic Oratorian |
President | The Lord Judge |
Head Master | Joseph Smith |
Second Master | Thomas Hennessy |
Chairman of the Governors | Christina Hill Williams |
Founder | Cardinal Newman |
Location |
Woodcote Reading Berkshire RG8 0PJ England Coordinates: 51°31′57″N 1°03′30″W / 51.532562°N 1.058421°W |
Local authority | Oxfordshire |
DfE number | 931/6034 |
DfE URN | 123282 Tables |
Students | 410 |
Gender | Boys |
Ages | 11–18 |
Houses | 5 |
Colours | Oratory gold & black |
Publication |
The Oratorian The Buzz |
Former pupils | Old Oratorians |
Website | www |
The Oratory School /ˈɒrætɒri/ is a boys' independent Roman Catholic boarding and day school in the English county of Oxfordshire, some 6 miles (9.7 km) north-west of the town of Reading. It is the only remaining all-boys Catholic school in Britain. Founded in 1859 by Blessed John Henry Newman, The Oratory has historical ties to the Birmingham Oratory and is the only school founded by Cardinal Newman. Although a separate entity from the nearby Oratory Preparatory School, it shares a board of governors and a common history. Newman founded the school with the intention of providing boys with a Roman Catholic alternative to Eton College. For the academic year 2015/16, The Oratory charged day pupils up to £7,750 per term, making it the 25th most expensive HMC day school. It is a public school in the British sense of the term.
According to the Good Schools Guide, the school "enjoys inspirational leadership, has achieved GSG 'overall best in UK' for three years running and is consistently at the top of the tree", with "state-of-the-art" boarding facilities and an ongoing refurbishment programme under way.
The Independent Schools Inspectorate said in 2007: "Pupils and staff show deep and committed support to the Catholic values that underpin the school", and "genuine excitement and enjoyment shine through in sporting, musical and creative activities. Individual pupils and teams have achieved distinction in a wide range of activities, particularly in sport", and pupils "have recently represented Great Britain in rowing, shooting and real tennis, England in cricket and Ireland in rugby".