| Dear OWs and Friends,
We hope that you and your families are keeping in good health and spirits at the moment. Although we remain socially distant in body, it has rarely felt so important to keep connected.
If you would like to organise a virtual reunion, or reach out to long lost school friends, please let us know via email. The MCS Strava group is also serving to keep members of the MCS community healthy, connected and motivated.
Many thanks to those of you who have sent in items to the Pandemic Papers, in the school’s effort to keep a historical record of this period – we will continue to welcome further submissions for some time. Last week the archive was also pleased to announce the acquisition of a scrapbook written by the Chavasse twins recording their time at MCS, which will soon be digitised and available to read remotely.
More news awaits you below.
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MCS 15% Fee remission |
| With school returning this week, we are starting to get a picture of the current MCS families who are facing hardship.
The School has reduced fees by 15% for Trinity Term in recognition of the challenges that the current situation presents to parents. This term the Master is also donating 15% of her salary while the school remains part-closed to the hardship and bursary fund, and we have asked parents to do the same if they are able to. We are delighted that parents have already begun to respond with their usual supportiveness.
It is of course likely that this is not going to be a short term problem for our current families, and we may lose pupils who would otherwise have applied to us. We are grateful to all OWs who have in the past helped us build a fund of £80,000 to address hardship, and this will immediately start to be used to support pupils. Bursaries will be the main focus of our fundraising in the months and years to come.
If you can help, you can make a gift through the website, or contact Susie Baker in the Waynflete Office.
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Thank you to our Key Workers |
| Our thoughts in particular go to all those on the front line. MCS is so proud of the strength of our OW numbers going on to study medicine. If you are working in medicine at this time, please do get in touch – we would like to be able to say thank you.
Photographed is OW William Wynell-Mayow (2009), currently working as an Orthopaedic Registrar in West Middlesex Hospital.
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Benefactors’ Garden Party Cancelled and OFA 2020 Postponed |
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| Due to the Pandemic, we regret to say that the annual Benefactors’ Garden Party, which had been due to take place on Sunday 28th June, has had to be cancelled. Likewise the 2020 Oxford Festival of the Arts has been postponed.
A message from the Oxford Festival of the Arts Director, Dr Michelle Castelletti.
“We feel that in the current circumstances, the most responsible thing to do is to postpone the spectacular feast we had in store for everyone. Instead of travelling to Calais with its 6,000-odd entourage in 1520, our 21st century Field of Cloth of Gold lavish 18-day feast will be travelling with us to 2021.
However, fear not. We shall be with you – perhaps now more than ever – in 2020, with #OFAvirtual, and all the marvellous new tricks up our sleeves. We shall be working together with our artists and freelancers to create different ways to come to you all, in these unprecedented times during our lifetime.”
We look forward to #OFAvirtual this summer, and the return of the festival and the MCS Benefactors’ Garden Party to the Spit in 2021. |
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University Challenge – OW in final |
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| Many congratulations to Alex Gunasekera (OW 2015) (representing Corpus Christi, Cambridge) who made it to the final of University Challenge 2020, against Imperial College, London. To find more about Alex’s experiences on the show, read more here.
If you’ve been inspired by Alex’s quizzing prowess, why not try your hand at an MCS quiz?*
*Answers released on the quiz pages the week after publication. |
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MCS PPE in use at Beaumont Street Surgery |
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| The first batch of MCS-made PPE is already in use at 19 Beaumont Street surgery in Oxford. Well done to Samuel Costello (OW 2017) for writing in to suggest that the MCS 3D printers be repurposed to make PPE!
“Thank you so much from all of us at 19 Beaumont St!” – Sarah (pictured). |
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Thought for the Day |
| Virtual Chapel is back with a Thought for the Day from the Master addressing pupils on the first day of Trinity term. In addition to a thought-provoking reference to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, she comments on her role within the MCS community, and how last week would have seen her annual visit to the MCS community in New York.
“Visiting Old Waynfletes is one the perks of my job. Look out when you’re older – you can run, but you can’t hide.” |
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OW Dinner |
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| The annual OW Dinner would have taken place this Saturday at Westminster.
While we are regretful to lose this opportunity to gather with our OW community, we cast our minds back to the dinner in the Michael Peagram Building at MCS last spring (pictured), and look forward to the OW Dinner in Corpus Christi College, Oxford, next March. |
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And finally… |
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| For anyone who is struggling to adapt to a new routine, Louis in J3 has made a Rube Goldberg Machine to turn off his alarm clock- watch it in action here! |
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Keeping in Touch |
| As always, we are thinking of you and endeavour to help you feel connected to the school during this unprecedented time.
Teaching is continuing 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. Our gratitude always goes to members of our community who are on the frontlines of this pandemic, helping to keep the country going.
With best wishes,
Susie, Alan, Maddy, Allison and Rob
Waynflete Office
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MCS ranks among the top independent secondary schools in The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2024, placed seventh nationally and third in the Southeast.
39 of our pupils achieved 10 or more 8 or 9 grades in 2023.
Your donations contribute over £150,000 a year to bursaries as well as building an endowment to fund bursaries for the future.
