Magdalen College School
11+ Admissions Guide 2026

Magdalen College School was founded in 1480 by William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellor of England, to provide a grounding in Latin and Greek grammar in support of humanist studies. It continues to fulfil that role today and has grown considerably over the years. The school is now an independent day school for boys from the age of 7 to 18 and for girls from the age of 16 to 18. Formerly administered by Magdalen College, the school became a charitable trust in the mid-1980s and still maintains a close relationship with the College, which appoints a quarter of the governing body.

The school is made up of three sections: a junior school for boys in Years 3 to 6, a senior school for boys in Years 7 to 11, and a sixth form for boys and girls in Years 12 and 13. Pupils come from a range of professional and academic backgrounds, mostly from White British families living within a 15-mile radius of the school.

The school aims to help pupils develop independent and searching minds, to take pleasure in the life of ideas, and to do their best in public examinations. It also encourages enjoyment of a broad range of activities including sport, music, art, drama, outdoor pursuits and community service, within a Christian framework and a safe, friendly and supportive environment where every pupil feels valued as an individual.