Head

The Chair and Governors of The Oratory School invite applications for the role of Head, following Joe Smith’s exceptional 7-year period of leadership and recent appointment as Head of St Benedict’s School, London.

The Oratory School is one of the country’s foremost independent Catholic schools, blending rich traditional values with a progressive and innovative curriculum to offer a truly market-leading educational experience to boys and girls aged 11-18. Situated on a 100-acre countryside campus on the Oxfordshire-Berkshire border, the School prides itself on its inclusive, welcoming and supportive atmosphere and its holistic educational ethos, valuing academic excellence alongside co-curricular endeavour.

The School was founded in 1859 by eminent Victorian educationalist Saint John Henry Newman as a Catholic alternative to the country’s traditional public schools and has since carved its own distinct identity as a high-achieving and popular choice for pupils of all faiths and none. The Oratory provides a balanced and inspiring secondary education that will challenge the most academic pupils whilst providing the support to those who need it in equal measure.

The role of Head presents a unique opportunity to lead this already thriving school into its next phase of growth and development, having become fully coeducational in 2020. The successful candidate will be an inspiring and innovative leader, with the energy and ambition to articulate and implement an ambitious vision for the school and deliver its five-year strategic plan. An understanding of and empathy for the values and the ethos of the School will be crucial.

Further information on the School can be found at www.oratory.co.uk and a candidate brief can be downloaded from www.odgers.com/86581

Application forms, letters of application and CVs should be sent by 9.00 BST on Tuesday 27 September to Odgers Berndtson. 

This post will engage in regulated activity. The Oratory School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020, and as such successful applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure & Barring Service.