We realised immediately that there is much in common between The Oratory School and Notre Dame University, a Catholic academic community of higher learning established in 1842. Mary, who is Director of International Enrolment at the university, spoke about the benefits of what she termed Global Education (Notre Dame has institutions of higher learning across some of the most important cities in the world), the liberal arts nature of her university, emphasising not just the high academic standards of teaching and research, but also the leisure facilities, location, its 500 clubs and organisations, and the fact that 26 of its teams are in US Sports Division 1!

Notre Dame is a mid-sized university, she explained, offering degrees from Fine Art and Performing Arts through to Medicine and Medical Research. She spoke too about the way in which a UK applicant, if successful, could potentially fund themselves for their degree fully – a noted difference to the UK system of tertiary education.

Oratory pupils had a number of questions on Sports Scholarship and Sports participation, Summer School programmes, and subject combinations. They were very interested to hear about the application process, which Mary explained in depth and detail, mentioning that summer school opportunities could be used as a ‘test drive’ for the uni.

It was a very great honour to receive Mary, who has been invited to return to The Oratory next spring.

Dr David Moses, 
Assistant Head (6th Form)