Exceptional pastoral and academic support through small classes

I AM incredibly proud to be headmaster of The Oratory, having been at the school since 2018, most recently as senior deputy head.

A graduate of Durham University, my career has been dedicated to Catholic boarding schools. My wife, Dr Vicky Fogg, is housemaster of The Oratory’s girls’ house, Wootten House, and our daughter and son are students here.

Why choose The Oratory? We recently spoke with students, parents, staff and alumni, and familiar themes emerged: exceptional pastoral and academic support through small classes and the house system, a strong reputation in creative disciplines such as art, music, and drama; and our huge success on the sports fields and racquet courts.

Most importantly, The Oratory is a place where pupils can be themselves, reflected in our ethos: “Be you. Become more.” Being “you” is crucial. Some schools boast that they turn out a product, but at The Oratory, success has many definitions.

Some pupils excel in sports, others simply enjoy participation. Some loved the opportunity to act in our recent production of The Crucible, some would hate that.

Academically, some find things easy while others work hard to progress. Yet, despite our size, our pupils achieve extraordinary things. Our 1st XV rugby team won the County Cup, the U14 team exceeded expectations to place second in their County Cup, our 1st XI hockey team secured their fourth consecutive league win, and the 2nd XI won theirs as well.

These achievements are the result of individuals coming together to achieve more as a team. This philosophy extends to our academics. Our size ensures that every pupil is known, allowing our teachers to provide the support needed for them to flourish.

We foster a learning culture where nothing stands in the way of progress, helping pupils “become more” and reach their full potential.

It is an exciting time for The Oratory. We recently had a very pleasing inspection, and we are developing our curriculum to prepare pupils for the evolving workplace, including AI advancements. Plans for an all-weather pitch and padel tennis courts are in progress, set for completion this autumn.

Our next open morning is on Saturday, May 10, where you can see first hand why I am so proud of our school. Book your place at oratory.co.uk

Matthew Fogg, Headmaster