Inspired by St Francis De Sales, Saint John Bosco founded the Salesian order in Italy in 1859. He dedicated his life to teaching disadvantaged young people in an attempt to make their lives better. He developed teaching methods based on love rather than punishment, a method known today as the Salesian Preventive System. 

Wherever the Salesians work, our mission is the same, for we “are called to be signs and bearers of God’s love for the young.”

We express our mission in many ways: in schools, colleges, universities and in youth centres. There are currently almost 16,000 members in the congregation, working in 131 countries around the world.

The Salesian Sisters arrived in Cowley in 1924 and based themselves at Elmthorpe Convent. In 1932 they opened our school.

Our Lady’s School has since expanded and now educates children from age 3-11 with a nursery class included. 

July 1999 saw the retirement of the last two Salesian Sisters teaching in the school. The school, however, preserves a strong Salesian ethos and spirituality, which is nourished by its connection with the parish and the Sisters and the active involvement of a good number of Salesian Cooperators and past pupils in the school.