Our school

Our School

When the Oratorian Saint John Henry Newman sent priests from his Congregation to open an Oratory in London, they began their mission by opening schools where poor, immigrant Catholic children could get a rudimentary education. The London Oratory School owes its origins to that early initiative. After more than 150 years of its existence, our school has grown and changed in many of its characteristics, but its essential character remains the same: Inspired by the example of the founder of the Oratory, St. Philip Neri, and the educational vision of the founder of the Oratory in England, St. John Henry Newman, our school endeavours to provide an excellent education of the intellect alongside an education in the spiritual and moral virtues which ought to characterise every well-formed Catholic. On this website, we hope you discover how we bring this to life in our school, as well as answers to questions that you may wish to ask us.

Our shared identity

The London Oratory School shares with other Catholic schools the mission to assist the Church in making Christ known to all people, to assist parents in the education and religious formation of their children, and to foster and develop a culture of vocation whereby the course of life is considered as a journey towards God, motivated by love.

Our Distinctive Character

The example of Saint Philip Neri

In his time, Saint Philip Neri spread the love of God and neighbour throughout Rome. His heart was enlarged, and he strove to enlarge the hearts of others by promoting the virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity.

Faith: We promote opportunities to grow in Faith through the service of prayer, based around the school chapel, which lies at the heart of our school. Every day there are Form and House prayers, Mass is celebrated in the school every day with opportunities for confession every day, and engagement in services of prayer including Rosary and Benediction. The school is famous for its inspirational liturgy, animated by our world famous school choir who sing in the chapel every day and regular ‘whole school’ Masses at the Brompton Oratory.

Hope: With the gift of hope, we can rise up above difficulties and put them into the great perspective which is well expressed in our school motto, Respice Finem - look towards the end. In our pastoral support for the pupils, we endeavour to promote all that is positive, while at the same time helping those who struggle with setbacks to rise above them. 

Charity: In our school we provide plenty of opportunities for everyone to engage in works of charity; we run extensive community service projects, engage in charitable activities throughout the year, and our pastoral system is designed to promote the virtue of Charity in the community.

The educational vision of Saint John Henry Newman

Saint John Henry Newman believed that the cultivation of our moral nature was as important as the cultivation of the intellect. He said that the cultivation of our intellect is promoted through perfecting abilities and talents. On the other hand, our moral nature is cultivated through the acquisition of what are called the 'Cardinal' virtues of Prudence, Temperance, Fortitude and Justice. Newman’s vision was that both needed to be cultivated equally under the same roof.

At the London Oratory, to cultivate the intellect we provide a very broad range of more than 25 extra-curricular societies to extend the perfection of abilities and talents beyond the conventional curriculum. To cultivate the moral nature, from when new pupils arrive to when they leave as young adults,  we put great emphasis on teaching everyone to recognise, acquire and celebrate each of the Cardinal virtues in their lives and in the lives of others.

Our School Motto

Respice finem

The school Motto is Respice Finem, meaning 'look to the end', based on a maxim of St Philip Neri. In other words, all things are ordered to the end of finding joy and fulfilment in this world, so as to find joy and fulfilment in the world to come.

Our Oratory Formation

One Oratorian with three attributes.