Approximately 1 in 10 pupils receive a bursary or scholarship. We are committed to ensuring an MCS education is open to the brightest pupils, no matter their personal circumstances.
Approximately 1 in 10 pupils receive a bursary or scholarship. We are committed to ensuring an MCS education is open to the brightest pupils, no matter their personal circumstances.
We hope that you and your families are keeping safe and well during these difficult times.
This week we hope to lift your spirits by bringing you news of OWs past and present, starting with the Chavasse twins and concluding with a decidedly modern head shave fundraiser for the NHS.
The scrapbook, called ‘Snow Flakes’, takes on the form of a handwritten magazine and was written in the months after the pair left MCS to join the family in Liverpool during the winter of 1900-1901. It depicts scenes from the twins’ life in Oxford which would be familiar to many of us.
This indelible piece of history will be a much-treasured addition to our recently-accredited Archive. Thanks go to our eagle-eyed OWs and Friends who first spotted the scrapbook for sale in the national press last weekend!
Pandemic Papers
(image from MCS archive)
In a similar historical vein, we are pleased to take submissions to our ‘Pandemic Papers’ . This project will be part of the MCS Archive and will bring together the experiences of pupils, staff, OWs and friends of the school to document their reactions to this time of great challenge.
The Master’s Address to pupils on the school’s closing day, which elicited a huge response from so many of you, will rightly take pride of place in this new collection.
We would like to receive your reflections, diary entries, record of events or anything that you think will allow future pupils to understand how everyday life in 2020 was affected by the current pandemic – much the way that ‘Snow Flakes’ helps us understand what life was like at the turn of the 20th century.
You can decide what to submit. You may like to write up a diary for a day, take some photos of the world outside and tell us the news headlines of the day, or write down how your life has changed since the siutation started unfolding.
To submit your own entries to the Pandemic Papers, you can: • Email text, image or video (.mp3) files to archive@mcsoxford.org • Contact the Waynflete Office (waynfleteoffice@mcsoxford.org) to arrange a time to talk through your experience in person over the phone • Share a particular social media post or tweet of yours directly with the Waynflete Office (waynfleteoffice@mcsoxford.org) @OldWaynfletes • Post materials to Magdalen College School, Cowley Place, Oxford, OX41DZ (though please hold on to objects until school reopens).
Note that we can restrict access if your submission(s) contain sensitive information, so please indicate whether this is the case on donation.
Thank you to those who have already submitted a contribution to the Pandemic Papers.
There is more information about our Pandemic Papers initiative on our website.
University Challenge – OW through to final
Many congratulations to Alex Gunasekera (OW 2015) (representing Corpus Christi, Cambridge) who is through to the final of University Challenge 2020, against Imperial College, London. The programme is due to air on Monday 20th April, 20:30, BBC2 – tune in!
Alex- we’ll be cheering you on, particularly Mr Mac!
Last Monday’s semi-final, featuring Gunasekera, can be found here.
MCS Quiz
The next installment in the MCS Mr Mac quiz series is on our website!
Question 1 is as follows…
a) Name the celebrity cook who judges alongside Paul Hollywood on The Great British Bake-Off. b) Which (national) saint’s feast day is celebrated on November 30th? c) How is Thomas Bruce, who brought the Parthenon Marbles from Greece to Britain, better known?
And what links all three answers?
The rest of the quiz can be found here. Answers to be released on the webpage week commencing 20th April.
MCS Strava
MCS Sport has created a Strava group for all members of the MCS community who wish to keep active. Join fellow OWs, Friends, current students, parents and staff in an effort to keep competitive and keep exercising!
OW shaves head for the NHS
OW Jim Hawker (1992) has pledged to shave his head to raise money for the NHS- donate here! We hope to post the ‘after’ photo as well!
Keeping in Touch
As always, we are thinking of you and endeavour to help you feel connected to the school during this unprecedented time.
After the Easter Break, teaching will continue online for our current pupils. You can keep in touch with the school on Instagram,Facebook and Twitter, as well as the Waynflete Office on our Facebook and Twitter.
We particularly look forward to receiving your notes for the Pandemic Papers. Keep us posted via social media, by telephone (07501 373933) and email: waynfleteoffice@mcsoxford.org.
In the meantime, we wish you good health and a bit of rest (if possible) over weeks to come. Our gratitude always goes to members of our community who are on the frontlines of this pandemic, helping to keep the country going.
MCS ranks among the top independent secondary schools in The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2024, placed seventh nationally and third in the Southeast.
MCS ranks among the top independent secondary schools in The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2024, placed seventh nationally and third in the Southeast.
28 of our pupils achieved 10 or more 8 or 9 grades in 2024.
Your donations contribute over £150,000 a year to bursaries as well as building an endowment to fund bursaries for the future.
28 of our pupils achieved 10 or more 8 or 9 grades in 2024.
Your donations contribute over £150,000 a year to bursaries as well as building an 
