Overview
| Full Name | Magdalen College School, Oxford |
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| Founded | 1480 by William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester |
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| Location | Cowley Place, Oxford OX4 1DZ (current site since 1928, adjacent to Magdalen College) |
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| Type | Independent day school — historically boys with co-ed Sixth Form (since 2010); going fully co-educational by 2034 |
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| Co-ed Transition | Girls entering Year 3–4 from September 2027, Year 7 from 2030, fully co-ed by 2034 |
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| Age Range | 7–18 (Year 3 through Year 13) |
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| Enrollment | ~957 students (859 boys, 98 girls) |
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| SEN | 17.2% identified with special educational needs |
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| ISI (Oct 2023) | All 8 standards met — rated "Exceptional" |
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| Awards | Independent School of the Year for Social Mobility (2024) • Top 20 nationally (Sunday Times) • Green Flag Eco-School 2025 |
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| Website | mcsoxford.org |
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Academics
| Curriculum | GCSEs + A-Levels (4 subjects encouraged at A-Level) |
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GCSE Results (2025)
| Metric | Percentage |
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| Grade 9 | 61% of all grades |
| Grades 9–8 | 83% |
| Grades 9–7 | 94% |
| 100% Grade 7+ achieved in | Religious Studies, Maths, Geography, German, Greek, Latin |
A-Level Results (2025)
| Metric | Result |
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| A* grade | 43% |
| A*–A | 81% |
| A*–B | 93% |
| 3+ A* grades | 42 pupils |
| 4+ A* grades | 24 pupils |
| 5 A* grades | 7 pupils |
| AAB+ achievement | 78.6% |
Bursary Recipients' Results
97% achieved Grade 7+ at GCSE. All bursary recipients achieved A* or A at A-Level.
Waynflete Studies
A distinctive programme allowing Sixth Form students to undertake independent research projects supervised by Oxford University academics. This is a unique feature rarely found at other schools.
Full Subject List
- Core: English, Mathematics, Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
- Humanities: History, Geography, Religious Studies, Philosophy, Politics, Economics
- Languages: Latin, Greek, French, German, Spanish, Mandarin
- Creative: Art, Design Technology, Drama, Music
- Other: Computer Science, Physical Education, Theology
Student Body
| Total Students | ~957 (859 boys, 98 girls) |
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| SEN | 17.2% |
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| Divisions | Junior School (Year 3–6), Senior School (Year 7–11), Sixth Form (Year 12–13, co-ed since 2010) |
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House System
Students are organised into houses for pastoral care, sport, and inter-house competitions.
University Destinations (2025)
| Oxbridge / Ivy League | ~24 students (~25% of leavers) |
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| Medicine / Dentistry | 13 students |
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| AAB+ Achievement | 78.6% of cohort |
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Top Destinations
- Oxbridge: University of Oxford, University of Cambridge
- Russell Group: Durham, Imperial College London, University of Warwick, UCL, University of the Arts London (UAL)
- International: Ivy League institutions
Senior Leadership
| Name | Title | Background |
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| Helen Pike | Master (since 2016) | First female head in 540+ years. MA from Oxford, Michigan, and London |
| B.D. White | Usher (Deputy Head) | — |
| Dr J.C.A. Flanagan | Deputy Head (Academic) | PhD Stanford University |
| R.A. Edwards | Deputy Head (Education Development) | — |
| T.E. Skipwith | Head of Junior School | — |
| S.E. Pearson | Head of Sixth Form | — |
| P.J. McDonald | Director of Higher Education | — |
Department Heads
| Department | Head | Qualifications |
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| Art | Miss King | MEd Cantab |
| Biology | Mrs Gladstone | MA Cantab |
| Chemistry | Dr Bebbington & Dr Bell | — |
| Classics | Mr Vallance | BA Cantab |
| Drama | Mr Thomas | MA Cantab |
| Economics | Mr Wiscombe | — |
| English | Mr Shouler | MA/MSt Cantab |
| Geography | Mr Booth | MA/MEd Cantab |
| History | Dr Habsburg | PhD St Andrews |
| Mathematics | Mrs Lewis | MA/MEng Cantab |
| Modern Languages | Dr Thurston | DPhil Oxon |
| Music | Mr Cullen | — |
| Physics | Dr Petersen | PhD Simon Fraser |
| Sport | Mr Dupee | — |
~160 teaching staff in total.
Tuition & Fees (2025–26, including 20% VAT)
| Year Group | Termly Fee | Annual Fee |
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| Junior J1 & J2 (Year 3–4) | £9,250 | ~£27,750 |
| Junior J3 & J4 (Year 5–6) | £9,604 | ~£28,812 |
| Senior (Year 7–13) | £9,604 | ~£28,812 |
| Sixth Form Levy | +£156 | +£468 |
Application Fees
| Applicant Type | Fee |
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| UK Applicants | £180 |
| Overseas Applicants | £300 |
Optional Extras
| Service | Cost |
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| Music Lessons (individual) | £540/term |
| CCF (Combined Cadet Force) | £92.64/year |
| Sailing | £270–£540/term |
| Golf | £270/term |
| Senior Lunch | £6.06/meal |
| Junior Lunch | £2.91/day |
| After-school Care | £8.50/hour |
Bursaries & Scholarships
| Recipients | ~1 in 10 students receive a bursary |
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| Endowment | >£10M (target £15M by 2030) |
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| Annual Donations | >£1.2M donated in 2024–25 |
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Scholarship Types
- Academic Scholarships
- All-Rounder Awards
- Art Scholarships
- Choral Scholarships (linked to Magdalen College Chapel)
- Drama Scholarships
- Music Scholarships
- Sport Scholarships
- Sixth Form Scholarships
Facilities
- School Field: An island in the River Cherwell — used for sports and recreation
- Sports Hall & Gymnasium
- Swimming: Access to Oxford University pool
- Courts: 4 Kingball courts
- Music School: 3 organs, practice rooms
- Link Building (2022): Modern teaching facilities
- Big School (1966): Assembly and performance space
- Art Studios: Equipped with 3D printers and laser cutters
- Transport: 12 bus routes across Oxfordshire
- Planned: New 3-storey Science & Library building (completion December 2026)
Music & Drama
Music
- 450+ weekly individual music lessons
- 60+ concerts per year
- 16 choristers sing daily at Magdalen College Chapel (tradition dating to 1480)
- Partnerships with London Mozart Players and Southbank Sinfonia
- Multiple orchestras, choirs, and chamber ensembles
Drama
- 14 productions per year
- Annual transfer to Edinburgh Fringe Festival
- Dedicated drama studio and performance spaces
Sports
| Competitive Fixtures | 500+ per year |
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| Participation | 93% of students compete in at least one sport |
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Sports Offered
Rugby, football, hockey, cricket, tennis, netball, rowing, sailing, cross country, athletics, swimming, and more.
Recent Achievements
- National Schools Hockey Champions 2025
- Oxfordshire Tennis School of the Year 2024
Admissions
Entry Points
| Entry | Process |
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| 7+ (Year 3) | Assessment day with age-appropriate tasks |
| 11+ (Year 7 — main entry) | Stage 1: English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning + afternoon activities. Stage 2: Interview + text analysis |
| 13+ (Year 9) | Subject-specific tests and interview |
| 16+ (Sixth Form) | Subject tests and interviews in November. Application deadline: September 30 |
Competitiveness
| Difficulty Rating | 6.5/10 (selective but not ultra-competitive) |
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| CEM Score Guide | 110–115 typically required at 11+ |
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Notable Alumni
- Sam Mendes — Oscar-winning film director (American Beauty, 1917, Skyfall)
- Kenneth Wilson — Nobel Prize in Physics (1982)
- Jonathan Bailey — Actor (Bridgerton, Wicked)
- Yannis Philippakis — Lead singer, Foals
Inspections & Awards
| Body | Rating | Date |
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| ISI | All 8 standards met — "Exceptional" | October 2023 |
| Sunday Times | Top 20 Independent Schools nationally | Current |
| Eco-Schools | Green Flag Award | 2025 |
| Social Mobility | Independent School of the Year | 2024 |
Parent Sentiment
Positive (Good Schools Guide, Muddy Stilettos, WhichSchoolAdvisor)
"Steeped in history but not weighed down by it. Teaching is 'nearly always very good and often brilliant.'"
"Pastoral care is excellent — even unsporty boys thrive here."
"Best for go-getters and brainiacs who want to be stretched intellectually."
"The Waynflete Studies programme is genuinely unique — students get to work with Oxford dons on real research."
"Music programme is extraordinary — 16 choristers at Magdalen College is a tradition going back 500 years."
Negative (Mumsnet, WhichSchoolAdvisor)
"Junior school can feel very pressured with deliberate, intense competition. Not for the faint-hearted."
"Some bullying reports, though a minority view. 'Don't go unless very bright and robust.'"
"Competitive culture may cause anxiety in less academically confident students."
"Still predominantly a boys' school — full co-ed transition won't complete until 2034."
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