Magdalen College School, Oxford
Magdalen College School is an independent school for pupils aged 7 to 19 in Oxford. It has a Christian religious character. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in October 2023.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Magdalen College School in detail
Magdalen College School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Our latin motto, still at the heart of our daily philosophy, carries a deep and spiritual meaning. It is an encouragement to flourish and to focus on what matters in life. In the Junior School, we help pupils nurture the talents, interests and skills which will see them flourish over the years to come."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include running, drama, chess, photography, film, debating, Duke of Edinburgh, cadets, book club and philosophy.
Coming up: an open day on Thursday 5 November 2026, an open day on Thursday 11 March 2027 and an open day on Friday 12 March 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Oxfordshire
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Magdalen College School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Magdalen College School are Oxford International College (0.3 miles, selective); Christ Church Cathedral School (0.6 miles); New College School (0.6 miles); and Cherwell College Oxford (1.1 miles).
Oxford International CollegeChrist Church Cathedral SchoolNew College SchoolCherwell College Oxford
Where pupils go next
Of the 163 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 83% went on to university or other higher education, 1% to apprenticeships and 8% into work.
Who goes there
In 2026, 175 pupils (18.7%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Oxford Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Plain (nw-bound), 90 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 641 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Oxfordshire (52), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASISI Inspection Reports
Independent schools in England are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), not Ofsted.
Routine Inspection
10 October 2023
Regulatory Compliance
15 January 2020
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
14 March 2017
Focused Compliance Inspection
14 March 2017
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Magdalen College School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
GCSE Subjects Offered
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby all-through schools
Latest from Magdalen College School
Exploring investment careers with Stephanie Butcher
2 Oct 2026
Upper Sixth lecture: building a career in sustainable engineering
2 Oct 2026
MCS pupils shortlisted for prestigious academic essay prize
1 Oct 2026
Junior Waynflete Presentation 2026
30 Sep 2026
Upper Sixth hear thought-provoking talk from Oxfordshire Community Foundation
25 Sep 2026
Oxfordshire Schools STEM Forum welcomes Tim Harford
24 Sep 2026
From Magdalen College School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Magdalen College School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 99
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 19
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 99 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 19 serious and 79 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on a bicycle.
20 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Oxfordshire is 5 (the median across 369 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
86%
Available places
938 pupils
1,085 places
147 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Oxford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Oxford
Across Oxfordshire council
Places available
7,654
Applications
6,814
Got 1st preference
85.4%
Got preferred school
96.3%
All secondary applications across Oxfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
175
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
18.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
938
Total Pupils
808
Boys
130
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Magdalen College School
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Magdalen College School
What are GCSE results like at Magdalen College School?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Magdalen College School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
When was Magdalen College School last inspected?
Magdalen College School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in October 2023.
How many pupils go to Magdalen College School?
Magdalen College School has around 938 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Magdalen College School?
Magdalen College School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Magdalen College School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 99 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 19 serious and 79 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on a bicycle. 20 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Oxfordshire is 5 (the median across 369 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Magdalen College School?
Magdalen College School is at Cowley Place, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 1DZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)