During both World Wars, sixty six 'Old Oratorians' lost their lives fighting for their country, with some of the men having been members of the Oratory Cadet Corps.

[7] Old Oratorians were recipients of decorations, such as the Croix de Guerre, the Distinguished Conduct Medal and the Military Cross.

Twenty seven-year-old boys are admitted to the Junior House for a specialist musical education, including instrumental tuition.

The Oratory in London together with the school have gained a reputation for maintaining the rich tradition of liturgical music in England and Europe.

The Choristers rehearse before lessons every morning, as well as for an hour immediately before services, and frequently during the lunch break and after school.

In addition to the liturgical commitment, the choir engages in concert work and touring and has recorded film soundtracks and audio albums.

All teams in the school compete in their respective leagues, including the Daily Mail Cup, which the U15 XV making it to the final in 1992.

Cricket at the Oratory tended to be more of a focus prior to the Second World War, with less success in the immediate post-war period.

The School holds the Junior House swimming gala in the pool, as well as regular games lessons and waterpolo practice.

[18] The School celebrates its patronal festival with a Pontifical High Mass in Brompton Oratory on the feast of Saint Philip Neri, 26 May, or on the nearest Friday that falls during Trinity term.

The Mass is followed immediately by the distribution of prizes to award winners and the presentation of ties and badges of office to the Senior Prefects by the outgoing Head of School.

The Guard of Honour is a tradition used by The London Oratory School for the Principal Celebrant of the Mass and senior guests.

It is customary for the Combined Cadet Force,[30] consisting of the Army and RAF divisions to mount the Guard of Honour before the Mass as the Principal Celebrant enters the Brompton Oratory.

Major General W G Cubitt, CBE, Major General Commanding the Household Division and General Officer Commanding London District was the Reviewing Officer at the CCF Biennial Inspection and oversaw the re-badging, together with the regimental adjutant and staff from regimental headquarters, making the London Oratory CCF the only Combined Cadet Force badged to the Irish Guards and one of the few CCFs badged to a Household Division regiment.

Music at the Mass is provided by The Schola Cantorum[31] and Chamber Choir assisted by The London Oratory Sinfonia.

Organists for the ceremony have included David Terry, Nicholas O'Neill, Steven Grahl and Jeremy Filsell.

[32] After Mass there is a reception for the Guests, Senior Prefects, award winners and their parents in Saint Wilfrid's Hall, which is adjacent to the Brompton Oratory.

In the foyer there is a large bronze sculpture of Athena by Sir Eduardo Paolozzi and major series of his original prints.

[33] Throughout the year there is a varied programme of concerts, recitals, plays, and exhibitions by pupils, parents and visiting artists and performers.

In previous years the school has presented Macbeth, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Taming of the Shrew, The Comedy of Errors, Much Ado about Nothing, and The Tempest, Molière's Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme and The Hypochondriac, Gogol's The Government Inspector, Shaw's The Devil's Disciple and Pygmalion, Beckett's Endgame, Edward Bond's The Sea and Stone, Toad of Toad Hall, The Elephant Man, a number of one act plays including four by Chekhov, Arthur Miller's The Crucible and A View from the Bridge, Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, Peter Shaffer's Black Comedy, Noël Coward's Blithe Spirit, Alan Bennett's Habeas Corpus, and a production of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.

In 2000, Father David Martin was accused of sexually abusing pupils through letters from anonymous students at the school.

David Martin, who died in September 1998 of HIV related illnesses had been acting chaplain at the Oratory School from 1997 to 1998.

Claims about his conduct were also detailed in letters to Hammersmith and Fulham social services, the Archbishop of Westminster and to national newspapers in late October 2000.

[35] Hammersmith and Fulham council considered there to be “no evidence with which to base any further investigations, because the letter was anonymous, there was no specific allegation of child abuse, and obviously Father Martin was dead.” A spokesman for the Westminster diocese said: “Naturally the church is deeply concerned whenever any allegations are made against a priest and especially if there are any victims of abuse.