Students joining us for September will be invited to attend our transition events this term wherever possible:

• 6th Form New Students' Day – Friday 19 June, 9.00am – 2.00pm
• 1st–5th Form New Pupils Day – Monday 22 June, 8.45am – 4.00pm

We appreciate that these dates may not work for every family. If this is the case, there will still be opportunities to meet staff and other new families prior to the start of term in September:

• New Pupils' Welcome BBQ with Parents and Guardians – Wednesday 2 September from 2.00pm
• New Pupils' Induction Day – Thursday 3 September, 9.00am – 5.00pm

From the moment a place is accepted, our admissions, pastoral and academic staff will work closely with families to ensure every child feels welcomed, supported and fully prepared for their start at The Oratory.

Last summer, we were saddened to hear of the closure of Our Lady's Abingdon (OLA). Here are some testimonials from OLA parents who chose The Oratory as the new school for their child:

• "Our son joined The Oratory in 5th Form (Year 11) after his previous school, OLA, closed without warning. My son was midway through his GCSE syllabus, and facing another school move only a year after we had moved him to OLA in the hope of a fresh start after a bad experience with another local independent school. The disruption took a real toll on him and on us as a family.
  
  The Oratory admissions staff organised, at pace, a seamless transition at a really stressful time. The teaching staff immediately committed to a plan, helping my son make up lost ground where his GCSE exam boards differed. His Housemaster and tutor have been exceptionally supportive; as a mental health professional myself, I can say, without hesitation, that pastoral provision here is truly excellent. My son has had a few personal struggles and the staff have offered attentive, joined-up support and psychological safety in spades. After two disappointing experiences with other local schools, my only regret is not having had my son at The Oratory from the start of Year 7 — I had assumed it wouldn’t suit us as we aren't a religious family, and we weren't looking for a boarding school, but I was wrong. My son was welcomed as a day boy in FitzAlan House but started boarding a few nights a week so he could hang out with his housemates in the evenings and level up his study sessions as the GCSEs approached.
  
  The Oratory has a real family inclusion feel too. My son's grandparents have regularly been welcomed onto the touchline at fixtures, I joined the gym and my husband and older son can join my younger son to play golf together. A great experience all round."
   
• "Our daughter joined The Oratory in U6th Form and we began the admissions process just three weeks before the start of the academic year. From our very first contact with the Bursar and the initial meeting with Mr Fogg and Dr Fogg, everyone we met was very welcoming, and we felt that they did their utmost to make our daughter's final year work. The pastoral system at school is exceptional, and our daughter's academic tutor and Dr Fogg were always there if she needed help or if we, as parents, had any concerns.  The staff were always willing to give her extra help or support to ensure that any gaps in learning between her two schools were soon rectified. The Geography department was willing to allow her to study for A Level in a year and attend Year 12 and Year 13 lessons in parallel. At the time, no one was studying one of her A Level subjects, but The Oratory managed to timetable this in for her and ran the subject for a single student. I am so pleased (and relieved) that our daughter came to The Oratory, she has grown in confidence over the last 9 months and the school have helped turn a challenging situation into a successful final school year."
   
• "Two weeks before the start of the school year, my daughter’s previous secondary school closed without notice, forcing her to leave behind all her friends. We suddenly needed to find another school with a strong Catholic ethos that could provide a happy home. We were lucky to discover The Oratory School, and the Head Master kindly agreed to show me around at short notice. Nevertheless, my daughter arrived for the introduction day without having seen any of the school herself. Her Housemother made her welcome and she quickly found her feet among the other pupils in her year. Initially, the size and facilities felt rather overwhelming, but she now relishes all the sporting opportunities, as well as the different academic possibilities available to her. In this short time, she has made a host of new friends that will no doubt last a lifetime. We feel very fortunate to have found The Oratory School."

• A. joined us from OLA at the beginning of U6th Form (Year 13). Her school had closed, and she needed to complete her A Level studies without repeating L6th Form (Year 12). A. was offered 1-1 teaching for her Religious Studies course and was able to join both Year 12 and Year 13 Geography lessons to make sure she got all the content covered smoothly with no feeling of extra pressure. A. made friends very quickly in her year group, and even took a place on the House Prefect team, running the tuck shop. On Leavers' Day, she was dressed-up as a panda along with her friends, celebrating a truly remarkable year.
   
• S. joined us in 4th Form (Year 10), after some time in an online school. S. needed a bespoke timetable in order to meet her needs, and this was a great success for her. She started with half-days and built-up to a full day, leaving at 4.30pm most days in order to continue her equestrian training. S. has a strong group of friends, has maintained her out-of-school equestrian passions (which was a key element in her school provision), and added value to her predicted grades. She is now in a very favourable academic position as she approaches her GCSE year.
   
• J. has been with us since 1st Form (Year 7), and is currently sitting her GCSEs. J. has a talent for football, which has resulted in an Arsenal contract and a place as the Wales U18 National Goalkeeper. J's footballing commitments have required us to develop a bespoke programme that allows her to come to school, maintain her friendships, focus on GCSEs, and still perform at top level on the pitch. This has been achieved by curating a timetable of academics and sport that work for her, freeing her up to leave for training, matches and international fixtures. J. will complete her GCSES this summer and will have everything she needs: a GCSE portfolio, A Level options, a burgeoning football career, and a host of firm friendships. 

We recognise that committing to an independent education is a significant decision for families, and that confidence in a school’s long‑term sustainability is essential. We want to reassure you that we take this responsibility very seriously and our priority is to provide stability and continuity for every child in our care.

Our school is managed with a prudent long-term financial strategy including careful control of costs alongside ongoing investment in teaching, facilities, and pupil experience. Our recent major capital project was funded by donations from our supportive Oratory School Community, and we operate with relatively low levels of debt. Our financial resilience is strengthened by having diverse income streams, including generating income through external lettings and our Sports Centre, which helps to support investment in the core educational offering.

This disciplined approach ensures we remain financially stable and resilient, even in a changing economic environment.

There are no academic lessons at The Oratory on Saturday. Many sport fixtures do take place, but parents are notified of these well in advance. All pupils are welcome to opt into our boarders' Saturday activities programme.

We have reviewed all subjects available at St Joseph's and our Heads of Department are ready to talk through bespoke plans for how each pupil can be supported.

At The Oratory, we have a lot of experience of welcoming and settling pupils into our school mid-year, mid-term and part way through exam courses. As a school that includes an international community, we are used to pupils joining us from alternative school systems that run different timetables, curriculums and sports programmes and pride ourselves in our ability to welcome these pupils and make their transition seamless.

As a Catholic school, we are often viewed by parents to be a place of second chances, a place where a pupil can try again. As a result, we are often the choice for pupils who have relocated, experienced bullying or experienced anxiety or anonymisation in a larger setting. As a result, we have outstanding pastoral care and support systems to make sure all our pupils can feel safe, welcome and valued. With that foundation, we can then achieve the outstanding academic, sporting and pastoral outcomes for which we are known.

The simple answer is the people. The Oratory has a gold standard pastoral care programme, routinely celebrated by institutions such as ISI and The Good School's Guide. We start with the House system. Every pupil in the school, day or boarding, boy or girl, lower, middle or 6th Former, belongs to a boarding house. They are given a space in this house to store their items, change for Games and use in their social time. A Housemaster/Housemistress runs the House, and they are the foundation stone for everything that supports the pupil in school. The Housemaster/Housemistress will touch base with pupils daily and be the main point of contact for parents. The Housemaster/Housemistress is supported by a Housemother, an assistant and a Tutor team. The Housemother is based solely in House and is present to look after all the needs that arise in a pupil's day. For pupils making the move to a new school, she will be sensitive to their needs, checking they are with others, know their way around, have access to food and school supplies and generally know she is a safe space for her pupils whenever she is needed. Housemothers have great skill with pupils who have additional educational needs and are equipped for sensory first aid, time-out and other measures as needed. 

Beyond the immediate house staff is a team of tutors. Each pupil has an academic tutor who sees them twice a day and checks on their emotional as well as academic needs. Tutors and Housemasters communicate frequently, triangulating any needs of the pupil and getting ahead of issues wherever possible.

For those pupils with additional educational needs, we have a warm and supportive Curriculum Support Department. They will work hard to ensure that the transition is smooth, including contact with their current SENCO, and that support is continuous and effective.

In addition, The Oratory has a Designated Safeguarding Lead, along with a team of Deputies, who ensure that child safety is at the heart of all we do. We have a team of Nurses who have Mental Health First Aid training as well as their nursing qualifications. We have a School Counsellor available for 1-1 support and our Chaplain, Fr Gerry, is available to all pupils and parents. 

Our pupils. We have a system of buddies and mentors to ensure every pupil is seen and known. When a pupil arrives at The Oratory, they meet a buddy in their own year to look after them all day, an older Pupil Mentor who will check in with them and help them through any minor difficulties, and a House Captain who they can turn to at any time at all. Our pupil-led care and support is second to none, and something in which we take great pride. 

We understand that there are huge worries and points of concern when moving your child to a new school; please be reassured that The Oratory understands this and will always recognise the unique position your child is in. We will work quietly but tirelessly to ensure the move feels exciting, smooth and right for them. 

Yes, pupils can join almost all Oratory activities straight away. This can be discussed in your initial conversation with the Admissions Team.
 

We will support your child with transferring any individual co-curricular activity, and ensure that there is a smooth transition between any external teachers or coaches.

At The Oratory School, the goal of Curriculum Support is to help our pupils who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) become independent learners and, using various strategies, overcome their difficulties, while building their self-esteem and confidence. We would welcome individual conversations about your child's educational needs to discuss the best programme of support.

Yes. We will be aligning our existing bus routes (where possible) to support families transferring from St Joseph's. Below is a map of our provisional bus routes and we welcome parents reaching out if other stops are required.

The Oratory is just 15 minutes from Reading Station and comprehensive bus routes are available across the surrounding area.