Magdalen College School

• Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire, England,
• Founded in: 1480,
• Language of instruction: English,
• Type: for boys.

Magdalen College School (MCS) is a private day school in the tradition of English public education. It accepts boys from 7 to 18 years old and girls from 16 to 18 years old.

MCS is one of the best schools in the country for securing places at elite universities in the UK: more than 25% of high school students get places in Oxford and Cambridge, the vast majority of graduates go on to Russell Group universities.

MCS offers a transformative education in a global university urban community, with support from the city administration (and beyond) offering tuition assistance to students.

Each year, MCS coordinates and conducts a wide range of partnership projects and events, professional development meetings for fellow teachers, academic, cultural and sports enrichment of local children. Key elements of the extensive programme are the groundbreaking Oxford Arts Festival, the Summer School for gifted primary school children and the Open Days for aspiring medical and engineering professionals.

MCS was audited by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) in 2017. In the independent publication The Good Schools Guide, Magdalen College School is named a unique school with highly qualified staff.

The educational process at Magdalen College School is implemented with the help of:

• Ensuring full support from the teaching staff to achieve high results of students,
• Opportunities to lead an active sports life to maintain health,
• To develop students as independent individuals to be ready for adulthood and realize their potential.

The school offers a wide range of subjects and additional disciplines, fosters an interest in diverse knowledge and collaborates with the University of Oxford.

MCS has six residences named after former prefects who died in the world wars. Pupils are most often accommodated in single rooms with shared bathrooms, in separate blocks for boys and girls; There is a student lounge, a computer room and a classroom at the disposal of residents. Free laundry services are available on campus.

Catering at MCS is provided by Sodexo, which uses the best seasonal products to prepare healthy, tasty and nutritious meals. The menu includes:

• A large selection of salads that are prepared daily for the central salad bar,
• Red Tractor Certified British Meat and Vegetables Locally Produced,
• Fresh homemade soups, fruits, yoghurts, cheese, desserts and bread every day.

Sodexo takes into account the peculiarities of the diets of all students. When your child is admitted to MCS, you will be sent a form with meal requirements, and the form already completed will be pre-screened by staff to ensure that staff will be able to meet your dietary requirements. 

The tuck shop is open during lunch breaks and after school, where students can buy:

• Panini
• fruit juices, water and smoothies,
• cupcakes and pancakes,
• freshly made popcorn,
• chips and chocolate.

The MCS has an Aspretto café available for high school students and staff. A skilled barista prepares excellent coffee from freshly roasted beans, smoothies, iced drinks – and a full range of hot drinks.

Throughout the year, students are offered a wide range of activities, from the Forest School to rock climbing. Some are designed for year-long classes, such as martial arts and youth entrepreneurship, while others, such as drama and strategy games, are held on Thursdays throughout the year. On Mondays, MCS hosts the following clubs: chess, natural history, word games, Lego, debate, school magazine, music studies, programming (ICT) and games.

Participating in sports, music, and theater events, or joining one of the many clubs, is a great way to make new friends. In addition, MCS organizes home activities throughout the year so that employees can get to know their students better.

Through the School's Community Service Organization (CSO), high school students are placed on the city's volunteer team. Their activities range: mentoring elementary school students in math and English, creating artwork for local hospitals, hosting concerts in schools and nursing homes, and keeping the nursing home residents company and entertained. Statistics show that every year several students decide to continue volunteering after graduation.

• In junior school, educators help students develop talents, interests, and skills that will enable them to succeed in middle and high school. The junior school has its own supervisor and a dedicated team of specialist teachers, while being under the general supervision of the administration and benefiting from the services of the high school staff and facilities.
• The high school offers a complete and diverse program of modern foreign languages, including Chinese, German and Spanish.
• MCS enjoys an enviable academic reputation, consistently delivering outstanding student results at GCSEs.
• Students are successfully prepared for various exams: IELTS, BULATS, FCE, CAE, TOEFL, CPE, KET and PET.

MCS has its own building for high school students, recently opened and located in the center of the grounds. It is a four-storey building with elegant corridors, staircases, study rooms and seminar rooms, with a large common room with high ceilings.

High and high school students benefit from the Basil Blackwell Library, which opened in 2005 and is located in the Colin Sanders Building, a bright and welcoming space with separate work areas, an archive room and computer equipment, open to students Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

In MCS, trimester dates change slightly each year. The school usually has autumn (September to December), winter (January to March), and spring/summer (April to June) trimesters; Holidays most often take place in autumn, winter and spring.

Additional costs:

• accommodation and meals,
• materials, equipment and uniforms,
• transport
• personal expenses (clothing, entertainment, mobile communication).

To apply to MCS, you must fill out an online registration form, where electronic copies of the child's birth certificate or passport are also uploaded. After that, you need to pay the registration fee.

A few weeks before the start of the admission campaign, the administration will contact the candidates to request additional information about the child's hobbies in order to form a more complete picture of him/her. At this stage, a certificate from the current school is usually requested.

After that, the child goes through a series of activities: testing and an interview. In case of successful completion of all stages, he is invited to study at MCS.

In the 2022-2023 academic year, 49 applications were submitted to Magdalen College School, of which 48 students were accepted, that is, the acceptance rate was 97.96%.

The MCS Career Education Program runs throughout their high school years and aims to prepare students broadly for their life after high school. The most popular destinations for MCS students after graduation are:

• Oxford,
• Cambridge,
• Durham,
• Bristol,
• Exeter,
• UCL,
• Warwick,
• Imperial,
• Edinburgh,
• St Andrews.

In 2023, MCS students achieved excellent GCSE scores, with 54% of all grades above 9. The results of A-Level and Pre-U were also at a good level: not lower than 40% and 3 points.

1. Junior and middle grades: The commission carefully examines the potential and current achievements of children. For most candidates, assessments include a combination of written work, observation lessons, activities, and a short interview with the primary school principal. In addition, children need to be tested:
   1. English Language Test,
   2. Mathematics test based on the National Curriculum up to and including Grade 5,
   3. Oral Reasoning Test.  
2. Sixth Form: three written tests are required: two of them will be in subjects that applicants have indicated as those they want to study at A-Levels, the third test is oral, aimed at reasoning.

Types of awards in MCS:

• Academic scholarships are awarded upon admission to high school or during their studies in recognition of a student's merit and potential.
• Scholarships in music, art, and sports are available for children over the age of 13 upon application.
• Theatre scholarships for those over the age of 16 are available upon request.
• Comprehensive prizes are awarded to a range of students with high academic ability who have the potential to make a significant contribution to the life of the school.
• Governor's Awards are given to a student upon entering school in recognition of the talent and potential that can eventually develop in the form of a scholarship award.

MCS Reward Levels:

• Scholarships – an average of £200 per year,
• The universal premium is around £200 per year,
• The Governor's Presentation Award offers a £300 discount in the first year of study.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision