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Introduction
The Oratory School is an independent day and boarding school in Woodcote, near Reading. It was the only remaining all-boys Catholic boarding school in Britain until recently, when it started admitting girls and hence became coeducational.
Pupils study art, computer science, economics & business, geography, physical education, religious studies, biology, English, mathematics, physics, chemistry, design & technology, Modern Foreign Languages, PSHE, classics, drama, history, music and psychology.
With over 50 diverse co-curricular activities to choose from, pupils at The Oratory nurture their existing talents and interests whilst exploring new opportunities as they develop and grow outside of the classroom.
Providing a holistic, all-round education, the school remains focused on the whole student, seeking to draw out and expand their innate gifts, skills and talents. The Oratory’s small class sizes, coupled with outstanding pastoral care, provide students with a wonderful sense of community, guided by the motto Cor ad cor loquitur (Heart speaks to heart).
The Oratory School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Information 2026
Address: Woodcote Nr Reading South RG8 0PJ
County: Oxfordshire
Admissions info: registrar@oratory.co.uk or +44 (0)1491 683522
School type: Independent co-ed day and boarding school
Number of students: 280 (approx.)
Open day: In the Spring and Autumn Term
11+ Exam date: January of Year 6
11+ Exam type / Board: School’s own and CAT4
Open Events for The Oratory School 11 Plus (11+) Entry
Open Morning offers a wonderful opportunity to explore the school and learn more about their offering. To confirm your attendance, please fill in the form available on the school’s website.
If you are unable to attend Open Morning, please contact the Registrar to arrange a personal tour, during which you will have the opportunity to meet the Head. You can view the school’s exact location on the map below:
The Oratory School 11 Plus (11+) Admissions
To register your child for Year 7 Entry, you should fill in the application form available on the school’s website. Please note that a £150 registration fee is payable. Upon receipt of the application and fee, the school will reach out with details about Taster Days and other events.
The 11+ entrance exam is completed in January and a place is offered approximately two weeks following the examinations, with an acceptance deadline set in the first week of March. A payment of a £1,000 deposit is required to secure your child’s place at the school.
The Oratory School 11 Plus (11+) Scholarships and Bursaries
Scholarships are awarded at the discretion of the Headmaster and as a recognition of your child’s excellence, ability, and potential in one or more academic or co-curricular areas. These awards carry a financial reward and provide the selected pupils with a sense of prestige and achievement.
In Year 7, The Oratory School awards the following scholarships:
- Academic Scholarships
- Music Scholarships
- Sports Scholarships
- All Rounder Scholarships
The school aims to make its education accessible to talented pupils, irrespective of parental income. Therefore, you can apply for a means-tested financial support (bursary), which does not preclude pupils from holding a scholarship award.
If you are interested in applying for a Bursary, you must indicate that in a separate letter to the Registrar. The Bursar will then provide you with an application form which should be completed and returned along with the requested documentation. All documentation will be treated as confidential.
The granting of a bursary is discretionary and is reviewed annually. For more information, please visit the school’s website or reach out to the school directly.
The Oratory School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Format
The Oratory School entrance assessment consists of:
- English (60 mins)
- Mathematics (60 mins)
- Online CAT4 test
The English paper examines both comprehension and writing skills, including inference, spelling, vocabulary and punctuation. Marks will be awarded for good use of imagination, creativity, form, purpose, organisation, cohesion, sentence structure and handwriting.
The maths exam assesses your child’s problem-solving abilities and arithmetic skills. The paper will include short questions on number, measurement, geometry, algebra and statistics.
The CAT4 test aims to assess developed abilities via modules testing Verbal, Non-Verbal, Spatial and Quantitative Reasoning.
Please see below for further details and recommendations on how to prepare for The Oratory School 11+ entrance examination.
How to Prepare for The Oratory School 11 Plus (11+) Exam
One of the best ways to prepare for a competitive entrance exam is to use our practice tests. Getting to know the types of questions and the format of the actual exam will help boost your child’s confidence. Aside from becoming familiarised with the exam format, our practice tests will ensure that your child responds to the questions in an efficient and effective manner.
They also provide an excellent opportunity for your child to practise working under time pressure. Whilst doing the tests under timed conditions, children can get used to answering questions quickly, with a close attention to detail.
Our 11+ practice tests are thoroughly researched and up to date. They are designed to reflect the demands of a competitive entrance exam and are successfully used by hundreds of thousands of students every year. Please see below our recommended packs to help prepare your child for The Oratory School 11+ entrance exam.
The Oratory School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Practice Papers
NOTE: The following English and Mathematics practice tests are in standard format, which means that students need to write in their own answers rather than choose from a list of multiple-choice options. This matches the 11+ Exam format used by the school.
We highly recommend the following packs to prepare successfully for The Oratory School 11+ English paper. They will help improve your child’s comprehension skills, such as inference, and writing skills, including spelling, vocabulary and punctuation:
Practice Papers
If you’d like to have your child’s writing assessed and marked, you may be interested in our Writing Marking Service. Please click here to learn more.
We highly recommend the use of the following packs to help develop your child’s arithmetic and problem-solving skills within the examination context of The Oratory School 11+ maths test:
Practice Papers
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Online CAT4 Test
The following Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT) online practice tests are highly recommended for successful preparation for The Oratory School 11+ CAT test. They help familiarise students with the various modules and question types that will come up in the CAT4 Level C, which is taken for Year 7 (11+) entry.
CAT4 – Level C – Practice Test 1
CAT4 – Level C – Practice Test 2
CAT4 – Level C – Practice Test 3
CAT4 – Level C – Practice Test 4
CAT4 – Level C – Practice Test 5
CAT4 – Level C – Practice Test 6
CAT4 – Level C – Practice Test 7
CAT4 – Level C – Practice Test 8
CAT4 – Level C – Practice Test 9
CAT4 – Level C – Practice Test 10
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The following Skill Practice Tests each focus on one module that will come up in the CAT4 Level C assessment, allowing you to target the specific modules that your child finds most challenging.
Non-Verbal Reasoning
CAT4 – Level C – Figure Matrices
CAT4 – Level C – Figure Classification
Verbal Reasoning
CAT4 – Level C – Verbal Classification
CAT4 – Level C – Verbal Analogies
Quantitative Reasoning
CAT4 – Level C – Number Analogies
CAT4 – Level C – Number Series
Spatial Reasoning
CAT4 – Level C – Figure Analysis
CAT4 – Level C – Figure Recognition
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended skill practice resources for The Oratory School CAT4 exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:
The following video courses cover everything your child needs to know to do well in The Oratory School CAT4 exam:
CAT4 Quantitative Reasoning Course
CAT4 Non-Verbal Reasoning Course
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended video courses for The Oratory School CAT4 exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:
Don’t forget to use the code ppdiscount at checkout to get 10% off orders over £80 and 20% off orders over £200 if you don’t buy a bundle.
Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions have been included in The Oratory School 11+ past papers. The information provided about The Oratory School is believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware of future changes. We advise you to contact the school directly if you are unsure of anything. School contact details are provided within the article.
Please note that Exam Papers Plus is an independent publisher of practice tests and resources, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by The Oratory School.
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Author(s)
Louise Lang
Director of Learning