The Oratory School, Reading
The Oratory School is an independent school for pupils aged 11 to 18 in Reading. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in February 2025.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Oratory School in detail
The Oratory School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Mr Matthew Fogg became Head Master of The Oratory School in April 2025, having previously been Deputy Head of the school since 2018. Matthew is a graduate of Durham University and has dedicated his career to Catholic boarding schools."
Coming up: an open evening on Thursday 5 November 2026 at 6.30pm, an open day on Thursday 19 November 2026 at 9am, an open day on Friday 27 November 2026 at 9am and an open day on Saturday 6 March 2027 at 9.30am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Oxfordshire
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for The Oratory School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to The Oratory School are Oratory Preparatory School (1.5 miles), Moulsford Preparatory School (4.2 miles), Cranford School (4.3 miles) and Pangbourne College (4.5 miles).
Oratory Preparatory SchoolMoulsford Preparatory SchoolCranford SchoolPangbourne College
Where pupils go next
Of the 44 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 57% went on to university or other higher education and 25% into work.
Who goes there
In 2026, 77 pupils (26.8%) received SEN support and 1 (0.3%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Goring & Streatley Rail Station, about 3.3 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Tidmore Lane (opposite), 390 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Oratory School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 24 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Oxfordshire (52).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASISI Inspection Reports
Independent schools in England are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), not Ofsted.
Routine Inspection
25 February 2025
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
2 November 2021
Short Visit
27 April 2018
Regulatory Compliance
1 November 2017
Integrated
26 November 2013
About
7 km) north-west of Reading, England. Founded in 1859 by John Henry Newman, The Oratory has historical ties to the Birmingham Oratory and the London Oratory School.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Fees for 2026/27
Day fees, per year
£25,833 to £35,250
depending on year group
Boarding fees, per year
£37,449 to £55,410
| Day Pupils: per term | £25,833 a year |
| Full Boarding & Tuition (UK and overseas): per term | £37,449 a year |
| Day Pupils: per term | £35,250 a year |
| Full Boarding & Tuition (UK and overseas): per term | £55,410 a year |
Including VAT. From the school's own fee schedule; check with the school before you rely on it.
Private school fees in Reading - 4 schools' published fees side by side
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby schools
Latest from The Oratory School
Oratory Pupils achieve 5 podium finishes at the ISA Indoor National Ski Championships
2 Oct 2026
NextGen LIVE at The Oratory School
2 Oct 2026
Oratory Drama's new Senior Production, Splendid Productions Workshop & Theatre Trip
1 Oct 2026
3rd Form Day of Reflection
23 Sep 2026
Oratory Hockey starts the season with matches vs Argentina's Colegio Michael Ham
22 Sep 2026
L6th Form Day of Reflection
16 Sep 2026
From The Oratory School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with The Oratory School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 3 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt.
0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Oxfordshire is 5 (the median across 369 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
64%
Available places
287 pupils
450 places
163 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Reading
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Reading
Across Oxfordshire council
Places available
7,654
Applications
6,814
Got 1st preference
85.4%
Got preferred school
96.3%
All secondary applications across Oxfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
77
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
27.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
287
Total Pupils
202
Boys
85
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
The Oratory School
Questions parents ask about The Oratory School
What are GCSE results like at The Oratory School?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for The Oratory School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
When was The Oratory School last inspected?
The Oratory School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in February 2025.
How many pupils go to The Oratory School?
The Oratory School has around 287 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to The Oratory School?
The Oratory School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near The Oratory School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 3 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt. 0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Oxfordshire is 5 (the median across 369 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Oratory School?
The Oratory School is at Woodcote, Reading, Reading, RG8 0PJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)