Sport

School Sports Culture

Sports weave through daily life at Oratory School, with sessions held four times weekly alongside official matches. The program spans around 20 sports — from classic team games to rowing and horseback riding:

• Athletics
• Badminton
• Basketball
• Cricket
• Football
• Golf
• Handball
• Hockey
• Horseback Riding
• Netball
• Real Tennis
• Rowing
• Rugby
• Squash
• Swimming
• Table Tennis
• Tennis
• Touch Rugby
• Triathlon
• Volleyball

Yet what distinguishes these events is their distinctive atmosphere — crowds of supporters gather while barbecues sizzle pitch-side, turning athletic achievement into communal celebration. Beyond match days, though, regular physical activity helps many students maintain calm and focus throughout their academic schedule, while team games teach them to collaborate toward shared goals.

Team Sports

Rugby remains the school’s flagship sport, though its director notes “it used to be only rugby, but things are changing now.” Oratory School regularly wins tournaments with their main squads despite competing against much larger institutions, and several alumni now play professionally. Girls’ sports have surged recently — hockey and netball teams claimed their first-ever victories, while a girl captains the under-14 cricket squad. This progress reflects shrewd coaching that used the pandemic’s pause to strengthen preparation, enabling girls to compete confidently with traditionally dominant schools.

Racquet Sports and Rowing

Racquet sports occupy a special niche where Oratory School has long excelled. In 1896, alumnus John Pius Boland won Olympic gold in tennis, and today the school is one of five in the country offering real tennis under a reigning world champion’s guidance. Eighth-graders enthusiastically strike balls on the indoor court, while outdoor training happens in a picturesque walled garden. Beyond real tennis, students actively pursue squash, badminton, and conventional tennis, while rowers benefit from the school’s Thames-side boathouse and indoor ergometer facility.

Oratory School Infrastructure

The sports center houses a pool, gymnasium, fitness suite, and cycling equipment, while the campus features squash courts, grass tennis courts, and its own golf course. Plans are underway for padel tennis courts and a full-sized artificial pitch. The school regularly organizes overseas tours — recent destinations include Portugal, South Africa, Barbados, and Canada — while competitions unfold at prestigious venues nationwide, from Cardiff Arms Park for rugby to London’s Olympic Aquatic Centre for swimming. The rowing team has even competed at the renowned Henley Royal Regatta.