The Charism of Oratory Primary School

Faith-filled. Joyful. Loving. Together.

At Oratory Primary School, our charism is rooted in the Catholic faith and inspired by the spirituality of St Philip Neri, whose life was marked by a deep love of God, joyful friendship, prayer, compassion and a desire to bring others closer to Christ.

Our charism is expressed through our belief that faith is not simply something we learn about, but something we live together every day.

We seek to create a school community where every child knows that they are loved by God, valued for who they are and gifted with something special to offer the world. We nurture confident and thoughtful children who discover their gifts, strive for excellence and use those gifts in the service of others.

Our school motto captures the heart of our charism:

We work together.
We play together.
We laugh together.
We pray together.

We are a people of faith

Prayer, worship and the sacraments are at the heart of our life together. We help children to know and love Jesus Christ, to recognise God’s presence in their lives and to grow in a personal and living relationship with God.

We learn from the example of Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints, seeking to follow their example of faith, courage, service and love.

We are a joyful community

Inspired by St Philip Neri, we believe that holiness and joy belong together.

We celebrate the gift of life, friendship, laughter, music, creativity and play. We want our children to experience school as a place of happiness, belonging and welcome, where relationships are treasured and where everyone has a part to play.

Joy is not simply something we experience; it is something we share.

We belong to one another

We are a family: children, parents, staff, governors, parish and the wider Oratory community.

We teach children to look beyond themselves, to notice when someone needs help and to respond with kindness, patience, forgiveness and compassion. From our youngest Owlets to our oldest Owls, we encourage children to care for one another and to recognise the dignity and worth of every person.

We believe that we flourish together.

We seek excellence

Every child is created in the image and likeness of God and possesses unique gifts and talents.

We therefore seek excellence not simply for achievement, but because each child deserves the opportunity to discover and develop the gifts God has given them. We encourage curiosity, independence, perseverance, reflection and creativity, helping children to become confident learners who strive to give their best.

We seek excellence in what we do and love in how we do it.

We serve others

Our faith calls us beyond ourselves.

Following Christ’s example, we encourage our children to recognise injustice, care for those who are vulnerable, welcome those who feel excluded and take responsibility for the world around them.

Through service, charity, Catholic Social Teaching and everyday acts of kindness, our children learn that even the smallest action can make a difference.

We want our children to leave Oratory not only knowing what they can achieve, but understanding what they can do for others.

We live with love

At the heart of our charism is Christ’s command to love.

We strive to make love visible in our relationships: through kindness, forgiveness, respect, generosity, compassion and courage. We encourage children to recognise Christ in one another and to become people who bring hope, peace and goodness wherever they go.

Our vision is therefore simple:

To help every child know that they are loved by God, discover the gifts they have been given, grow in faith and confidence, and use those gifts to do good:

The Oratory Way

We pray with faith.
We learn with purpose.
We live with joy.
We serve with love.
We grow together.

This is The Oratory Way.

It is our shared expression of the Gospel, our Catholic identity and the spirit of

St Philip Neri.

We work together.
We play together.
We laugh together.
We pray together.