Magdalen College School, Brackley
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 11 months agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
The sixth form is a real strength, with experienced teachers delivering strong teaching and students achieving well in their exams. The school has thought carefully about what pupils should learn and created a broad curriculum. Staff are properly trained in safeguarding and respond quickly when pupils need help.
Key Strengths
- Sixth-form staff deliver the curriculum well and students achieve good results in public examinations
- School has developed a broad and ambitious curriculum with clear key knowledge and vocabulary
- Staff are well-trained in safeguarding and work effectively with external agencies to support pupils in need
Areas for Improvement
- Pupils do not make sufficient progress due to ineffective curriculum delivery and staff not checking understanding adequately
- Behaviour is poor with low-level disruption frequently interrupting lessons and staff lacking confidence in school support
- Physical safety on site is not secure - pupils can access unsafe areas and sixth-form students are not supervised when leaving
- High levels of truancy and lateness, particularly among disadvantaged pupils
- Staff do not adapt teaching to support pupils with special educational needs effectively
Safeguarding
Arrangements for safeguarding are not effective - site access is poorly managed with sixth-form students unsupervised, pupils left unattended in classrooms, and unsafe areas accessible to pupils, although staff training and record-keeping are adequate.
Magdalen College School has failed to provide pupils with an acceptable standard of education, with particular concerns about low expectations, ineffective curriculum delivery in key stages 3 and 4, and poor behaviour management. The sixth form performs better, with students achieving well in most subjects.
At a Glance
10.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
280 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
22.9
Avg class size
55
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
86%
Available places
1,293 pupils
1,500 capacity
207 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Brackley
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Brackley
Admissions Demand - West Northamptonshire
Places available
5,079
Applications
4,699
Got 1st preference
77.2%
Got preferred school
95.4%
Secondary admissions across West Northamptonshire (2025/26)
Inspection History(7)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.35697%
Overall absence
21.44638%
Persistent absence
1,203
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Reviews
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Magdalen College School
Nearby Schools
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