Boarders at Oratory Prep School

Head Of Boarding Welcome

Mr Matthew Cooke
Head of Boarding


Tell us about yourself

I grew up in Durban, South Africa and I have lived overseas between Shanghai, Hong Kong and the UK for the past decade, teaching and learning from students ageing from 5-18 years old. My experiences throughout my life have taught me to always keep an open mind as you never know what life can ‘throw’ your way. I am an enthusiastic educator who loves to engage with students both in the classroom and on the sports fields, taking a particular interest in hockey and cricket coaching as these were two of my favourite sports growing up. My wife and two sons who live with me are actively involved in the daily proceedings of life at The OPS, in particular in the Boarding House. I am a family-oriented person who always looks to make the most of every opportunity to explore different areas, cities and countries to soak up as much of my surrounding environment as possible.


Why The Oratory Prep School?

As soon as I drove into the grounds of The OPS, I knew that this was where my family and I would find happiness. I initially chose The Oratory Prep School for its captivating beauty, warm and welcoming atmosphere from both staff and pupils alike, and the sense that it would be the perfect place to raise my young family and make a lasting impact. I have since come to realise that there is a lot more that The OPS has to offer to not only staff, but pupils too. The phenomenal OPS family, who are incredibly welcoming, have made working at OPS a great pleasure and continue to inspire my teaching. Now, as the Head of Boarding, I am excited to continue my journey in this exceptional community, looking to build upon the foundations that have made such an exceptional educational institution a household name in the Oxfordshire/Berkshire communities.

What inspired you to become a teacher?

My initial inspiration came from my mother, who has been a teacher for over 35 years. Seeing the passion that she has had over the years helped to influence me to foster the same enthusiasm and determination to inspire others to reach and exceed their full potential. Being a sociable person, I always knew that I wanted to work with people and over the years I have been fortunate enough to have taught an amazing range of students from different ages and nationalities. Without teaching, I may not have had the opportunity to have travelled as much as I have and I am grateful to all of the people along my journey who have also helped to influence my teaching and learning from the wide variety of educational settings and schools, which have helped to give me the experience I carry with me today.

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