Cranford School
Same Oxfordshire area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 18 August 2026
The Oratory School is a private secondary-stage school in Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire, with a published age range of 11-18.
Private school Co-ed Ages 11-18 Sixth form Boarding school
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-18
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
The Oratory School
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-18
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
Saint John Henry Newman founded The Oratory in Edgbaston in 1859, and the community later moved to Caversham Park before reaching Woodcote in 1942. That Catholic foundation still gives the co-educational community its distinctive shape, with day places and boarding serving pupils from 11 to 18. The sixth form extends the same setting into the final years of school.
Small classes and subject-specialist teaching lead into GCSE, A level and BTEC courses, with the Extended Project Qualification available in the sixth form. Boarding is organised through four houses: one for junior pupils, two for senior boys and one for girls. Day, flexi and full-boarding arrangements allow residential life to sit alongside a wider day community rather than operating as a separate track.
Entry is available at 11+, 13+ and 16+, with visits, senior experience days and individual taster days part of the direct admissions route. In February 2025, regulatory standards were met, while the findings also called for stronger sharing of boarding records, further development of a small amount of teaching and more financial education for older pupils. Those qualifications matter when considering the school's otherwise broad academic and pastoral offer.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths and 29.2 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 9.4% AAB or better.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Oxfordshire and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 29.2
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 0%
- EBacc APS
- 2.67
- EBacc entry
- 0%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Oxfordshire and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Age range
- 11-18
- Head Master
- Mr Matthew Fogg
- Pupil roll
- 287 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Boarding
- Boarding school
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Woodcote, Reading, South Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire
- Postcode
- RG8 0PJ
- Area
- Oxfordshire
School leadership
- Head Master
- Mr Matthew Fogg
School contact
- School phone
- 01491683500
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions phone
- 01491683500
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Boarding
- Boarding school
- Day fees
- £8,611-£11,750 per term for Years 7-13 in 2026/27, including VAT
- Boarding fees
- £12,483-£18,470 per term for Years 7-13 in 2026/27, including VAT
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
- Papers and stages
- 4 papers
- Format
- Mixed format
Papers and rounds
-
Paper 1
English, Maths, Other
11+ English, Mathematics and CAT assessment
11+ candidates take English and Mathematics assessment with an online CAT assessment.
-
Paper 2
Other
13+ ISEB/Common Entrance or internal scholarship route
13+ candidates use ISEB Common Entrance or the school’s internal scholarship examinations, depending on route.
-
Paper 3
Other, Interview
Sixth Form online assessment and interview
Sixth Form applicants take an online entrance assessment and interview.
-
Paper 4
Other
Sixth Form academic scholarship papers
Academic scholarship candidates sit two subject papers.
Published assessment components
English, Maths and Interview are listed across the school's published assessment routes.
Published
-
English
-
Maths
-
Interview
Sixth Form applicants take an online entrance assessment and interview.
Application
Application
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 29.2 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 0% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 2.67 EBacc APS
- A-level results
- 9.4% AAB or better
- A-level average points
- 34.67 A-level points per entry
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 25 February 2025
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2025 records an inspection beginning 25 February 2025. The report says the relevant standards were met.
Similar schools and comparisons
Similar schools and comparisons
Nearby schools families also consider
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
Pangbourne College
Same Oxfordshire area with a comparable local commute
Bradfield College
Same Oxfordshire area with a comparable local commute
Reading Blue Coat School
Same Oxfordshire area with a comparable local commute
Nearby schools with similar results
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
The Vine Christian School
Nearby option with a similar Ofsted and sixth-form picture
The Chalfonts Independent Grammar School
Nearby option with a similar Ofsted and sixth-form picture
ACS Egham International School
Nearby option with a similar Ofsted and sixth-form picture
Shortlist comparisons
Explore this school in context
Private schools near Oxfordshire
Independent secondary-stage school profiles with direct-application, age range and boarding context.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
Private schools near Oxfordshire
Independent secondary-stage school profiles with direct-application, age range and boarding context.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Oratory School handle admissions?
Oratory School handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Oratory School?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Oratory School?
Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Oratory School?
Oratory School is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 25 February 2025.