The Oratory Preparatory School

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The Oratory Preparatory School is a Catholic day and boarding school in South Oxfordshire for about 330 pupils aged 2 to 13. It is co‑educational and separate from The Oratory School, though they share history.

History in brief
- The Oratory School began in 1859 in Birmingham for Roman Catholic boys not aiming to become priests.
- It moved to Caversham Park near Reading in 1922.
- The Oratory Prep School started in 1925 at Rose Hill House in Emmer Green with four boys. The first headmaster was Father Sebastian Ritchie.
- By 1930 there were about 30 boys.
- In 1941 the prep school joined with Worth School for a time during World War II and used different sites nearby.
- In 1946 The Oratory Prep School reopened at Old Ryde, Branksome Park, Poole, with 35 boys.
- The school moved to its current 60‑acre site near Reading in 1969.
- A Pre‑Preparatory Department opened in 1977, including girls for the first time.
- From 1981 the school became fully co‑educational under headmaster Michael Randell.
- In 2019 the school joined Bellevue Education.

Faith, governance and daily life
- The school welcomes children of all faiths but maintains close ties with the Catholic Church. Archbishop Vincent Nichols sits on the Board of Governors; Cardinal Baum was a member until 2015. Pupils attend assemblies and weekly services.

Admissions and boarding
- Most pupils take the Common Entrance and go on to well‑known public schools such as Abingdon, Eton, Harrow, Marlborough, St Edward’s Oxford, and Wellington.
- Most students are day pupils, but up to 60 boarders from Year 3 upward are accommodated. Boarding options are full‑time, weekly, or flexi, with rooms for up to five children.

Location and extras
- The school is near Reading, in Oxfordshire. Website: oratoryprep.co.uk.