Magdalen College School: A Legacy of Excellence and Notable Alumni

Magdalen College School (MCS) stands as a distinguished independent day school steeped in British public school tradition. Located in Oxford, England, it caters to boys aged seven to eighteen and welcomes girls into its sixth form (ages sixteen to eighteen). Governed by a Board of Governors, who appoint the headmaster (known as "the Master"), the school comprises both a senior and a junior division.

Historical Overview

Founded by William Waynflete in 1458, Magdalen College School began as an integral part of Magdalen College, University of Oxford. Its initial purpose was to educate the sixteen boy choristers of the college, who sang in the chapel, as well as other academically gifted local children. The school's history is intertwined with Magdalen College, having occupied various parts of the college grounds, beginning with the low hall south of the Chapel of the Hospital of St. John the Baptist.

Relocation and Expansion

The origins of the present-day school site date back to the late 19th century. The school was slowly relocated over Magdalen Bridge onto the present site on Cowley Place. This began under W. E. Sherwood in 1891, with plans for a new school house after an outbreak of scarlet fever in the old boarding house. At that time, teaching still took place on the Longwall Street site, requiring boarders to walk over Magdalen Bridge daily.

In 1928, the entire school migrated over Magdalen Bridge due to increased pressure on the Magdalen College buildings on Longwall Street. Plans were made for new buildings designed by Giles Gilbert Scott. A new school chapel was added in 1928 at the Milham Ford end, funded by Old Boys. By 1938, the school's buildings had become too small and were never designed for longevity.

Wartime and Post-War Developments

During World War II, the school's numbers increased due to the relative safety of Oxford. The Officers' Training Corps played a role in the defence of Oxford. By 1949, the school had about 400 pupils. After the war, the school expanded, taking over buildings on the site of the present-day Hard Courts and Music Department.

In the late 1950s, the school faced a threat from a proposed new road. However, in 1957, new laboratories were built on the Plain roundabout end of the site. With the opening of the new Big School, the old Big School became the school's gymnasium.

Direct Grant Scheme and Modern Era

By the late 1960s, the school's status as a direct grant scheme member came under threat. On 20 March 2007, David Brunton, head of media studies and English teacher at the school, was found dead at the base of St Mary the Virgin Church tower in Radcliffe Square. His death was recorded as accidental.

Academic Excellence

Magdalen College School consistently achieves outstanding examination results. Over 90 per cent of its A-Level grades were an A or A* in 2013, and close to 95 per cent of GCSE grades were an A or A*. In 2013, a record number of students gained entry to Oxbridge, with 22 going to Oxford and 25 to Cambridge. The school's academic rigour is reflected in these consistently strong results.

Houses

There are six houses at Magdalen, named after former prefects who died in the two World Wars. Each house is associated with a colour.

Extracurricular Activities and Traditions

Magdalen College School offers a wide range of extracurricular activities, including sports, music, and drama.

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Sports

School Field, an island in the River Cherwell, provides space for field sports such as cricket, rugby and football, as well as lawn tennis.

Kingball

Kingball is a game played at Magdalen. The tradition, unique to the school, may have derived from Fives, for which a court was in use at the school at least as early as 1871, but the rules are more similar to the modern games of four square and Dirty Nine Square. The game has been actively played during breaktimes among pupils using four courts, painted by the school.

Music

The school boasts three organs and a dedicated 'Music School'. Many instruments are taught, and ensembles catering to a wide variety of tastes and styles operate on a weekly basis, performing regularly.

Notable Alumni

Private schools have produced some of the country’s most influential and recognised names. Magdalen College School's alumni have made significant contributions to various fields, including politics, law, science, and the arts. A list of alumni of Magdalen College, one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, includes politicians, lawyers, bishops, poets, and academics.

Some of the notable former students include:

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Politics: Malcolm Fraser, a former Prime Minister of Australia, and John Turner, a former Prime Minister of Canada.
Law: Joseph Addison, for whom Addison's Walk is named, was a Fellow of Magdalen in the 1600s.
Literature: Oscar Wilde studied at Magdalen from 1874 to 1878. C. S. Lewis, a famous writer, was a fellow and English tutor at Magdalen for 29 years (1925-1954).
Arts: Peter Brook, a director, is both an alumnus and an honorary fellow of Magdalen. Andrew Lloyd Webber, the famous composer of musicals, studied history at Magdalen for a short time in 1965.
Science: Hormuzd Rassam, an Assyriologist, studied at Magdalen. Howard Florey studied at Magdalen and shared the Nobel Prize in 1945 for developing penicillin. John Eccles, another Nobel Prize winner, also came to Magdalen.

Magdalen College vs Magdalen College School

Magdalen College is one of the colleges that make up the University of Oxford. Magdalen is known for being one of the richest and best colleges in Oxford for studies. Magdalen College School is an independent day school in Oxford. It educates boys from seven to eighteen years old and also admits girls at 16+.

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