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Magdalen College School

Magdalen College School is an independent school for boys in Oxford (girls join in the sixth form). Entry to Year 7 is in January of Year 6 through online Quest Assessments plus a school creative writing paper, with shortlisted candidates interviewed later in January; around 70 boys join at 11+.

RegionSouth East
AdmissionsSchool admissions page
DfE URN123311

The exam

Athena holds admission-route records for Magdalen College School. They are shown by entry cycle below; where the provider changes between cycles, each cycle keeps its own recorded exam.

2027 entry

  • Quest Assessments 11+11+ route

    Set by Quest Assessments (produced in partnership with Atom Learning)

    11+ entry (Year 7). Stage 1, in January of Year 6: online Quest Assessments plus a school creative writing paper; 11+ candidates sit the same papers on the same day as the school's 13+ pre-test candidates. Shortlisted candidates are interviewed later in January. Registration closes at the end of October in Year 6. Results are sent in early February and offers must be accepted by early March. Around 70 boys join at 11+. 2027 cycle: examinations Saturday 16 January 2027, interviews 26-27 January 2027, results sent Thursday 4 February 2027, acceptance deadline 1 March 2027.

    10391 published practice questions tagged for this exam

    Route record: verified · Athena independents completion research 2026-10-28

2028 entry

  • Quest Assessments 11+11+ route

    Set by Quest Assessments (produced in partnership with Atom Learning)

    11+ entry (Year 7). Stage 1, in January of Year 6: online Quest Assessments plus a school creative writing paper; 11+ candidates sit the same papers on the same day as the school's 13+ pre-test candidates. Shortlisted candidates are interviewed later in January. Registration closes at the end of October in Year 6. Results are sent in early February and offers must be accepted by early March. Around 70 boys join at 11+.

    10391 published practice questions tagged for this exam

    Route record: verified · Athena independents completion research 2026-10-28

Free lessons for this exam

Free Athena lessons that teach the skills covered by Quest Assessments 11+ practice questions on Athena. Read them without an account, then create one to practise the questions themselves.

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Key dates & preparation

2028 entry

Test: Late November of Year 6 — the London Consortium online assessment

Results: Outcomes are released through the consortium in the new year

Offers: Mid-February of Year 6 — the consortium’s shared offer point

When to start preparing: Start preparing in the spring term of Year 5 (the standing rule: about 18 months before the test).

General guidance: this follows the rule of thumb of starting about 18 months before the test. It is not the school's own published advice.

Source: official admissions information · checked 2026-10-28

2027 entry

Test: Late November of Year 6 — the London Consortium online assessment

Results: Outcomes are released through the consortium in the new year

Offers: Mid-February of Year 6 — the consortium’s shared offer point

When to start preparing: Start preparing in the spring term of Year 5 (the standing rule: about 18 months before the test).

General guidance: this follows the rule of thumb of starting about 18 months before the test. It is not the school's own published advice.

Source: official admissions information · checked 2026-10-28

Admissions rules

No catchment — open competition

There is no catchment area. Admission is by the school’s own assessment process (examinations and, usually, an interview); the school sets its own oversubscription criteria in its admissions policy — commonly the assessment result first, with sibling or other connections considered at some schools.

Read the school's admissions policy

Results & destinations

2025 results

GCSE: 94% of grades were 9–7

School-published

A level: Average point score per A level entry 51.54 (average grade A); 71.8% of A level students achieved AAB or higher

DfE performance tables

University destinations:

  • 25% of leavers — Oxford or Cambridge — School-published standing statement: 'Approximately 25% of pupils progress to Oxford and Cambridge universities' — approximate (places).

Source: official source · checked 2026-10-28 · official source · checked 2026-10-28

2024 results

A level: Average point score per A level entry 51.96 (average grade A+)

DfE performance tables

Source: official source · checked 2026-10-28

Scholarships & bursaries

Schemes recorded from the school's own published information. A scholarship is a merit award; a bursary is means-tested. Values are shown exactly as the school states them — where a scheme is honorary, its stated value says so.

11+ entry

  • Academic Scholarship

    ScholarshipAcademic

    What is assessed: Awarded on performance in the 11+ entrance examinations

    When: 11+ entrance examination cycle

    What it's worth: Honorary award — no fee remission (no financial benefit)

    How to apply: All entrance candidates automatically considered — no application necessary

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Music Scholarship

    ScholarshipMusic

    What is assessed: Audition/assessment by application

    When: 11+ admissions cycle

    What it's worth: The value of a year's tuition (30 lessons) in one instrument — the only MCS scholarship with a financial benefit

    How to apply: Separate application required

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Sports Scholarship

    ScholarshipSport

    What is assessed: Assessment by application

    When: 11+ admissions cycle

    What it's worth: Honorary award — no fee remission (no financial benefit)

    How to apply: Separate application required

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Academic Exhibition

    ExhibitionAcademic

    What is assessed: Awarded on entry to the Senior School in recognition of merit and potential in the entrance examinations (named in the school's published scholarships information)

    When: 11+ entrance examination cycle

    What it's worth: Honorary award — no fee remission (no financial benefit)

    How to apply: All entrance candidates automatically considered — no application necessary

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • All-Rounder Award

    AwardAll rounder

    What is assessed: Awarded through the Year 7 admissions procedure to pupils of high academic ability likely to contribute substantially to the wider life of the school

    When: Year 7 admissions cycle

    What it's worth: Honorary award — no fee remission (no financial benefit)

    How to apply: All entrance candidates automatically considered — no application necessary

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Governors' Presentation Award

    AwardOther

    What is assessed: Made to a pupil on entering the school in recognition of talent and potential which might develop into the eventual award of a Scholarship or Exhibition (named in the school's published scholarships information)

    When: On entry to the Senior School

    What it's worth: Honorary award — no fee remission (no financial benefit)

    How to apply: All entrance candidates automatically considered — no application necessary

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Bursary

    BursaryOther

    What is assessed: Means-tested; financial circumstances assessed independently by Bursary Assessment Associates

    When: Register by 31 October; bursary form to be completed by 6 November

    What it's worth: Value not stated on the school's published pages

    How to apply: Separate application required — indicate bursary application at registration, then complete the bursary form

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

13+ entry

  • Academic Scholarship

    ScholarshipAcademic

    What is assessed: Awarded on the 13+ entrance examinations or the Academic Scholarship examinations; also awarded internally on moving up to Year 9

    When: Academic Scholarship examinations in the Hilary term of Year 8

    What it's worth: Honorary award — no fee remission (no financial benefit)

    How to apply: All entrance candidates automatically considered — no application necessary

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Art Scholarship

    ScholarshipArt

    What is assessed: Assessment by application

    When: 13+ admissions cycle

    What it's worth: Honorary award — no fee remission (no financial benefit)

    How to apply: Separate application required

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Drama Scholarship

    ScholarshipDrama

    What is assessed: Assessment by application

    When: 13+ admissions cycle

    What it's worth: Honorary award — no fee remission (no financial benefit)

    How to apply: Separate application required

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Music Scholarship

    ScholarshipMusic

    What is assessed: Audition/assessment by application

    When: 13+ admissions cycle

    What it's worth: The value of a year's tuition (30 lessons) in one instrument — the only MCS scholarship with a financial benefit

    How to apply: Separate application required

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Sports Scholarship

    ScholarshipSport

    What is assessed: Assessment by application

    When: 13+ admissions cycle

    What it's worth: Honorary award — no fee remission (no financial benefit)

    How to apply: Separate application required

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Academic Exhibition

    ExhibitionAcademic

    What is assessed: Awarded on entry to the Senior School in recognition of merit and potential (named in the school's published scholarships information)

    When: 13+ entry cycle

    What it's worth: Honorary award — no fee remission (no financial benefit)

    How to apply: All entrance candidates automatically considered — no application necessary

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • All-Rounder Award

    AwardAll rounder

    What is assessed: Awarded through the Year 9 admissions procedure to pupils of high academic ability likely to contribute substantially to the wider life of the school

    When: Year 9 admissions cycle

    What it's worth: Honorary award — no fee remission (no financial benefit)

    How to apply: All entrance candidates automatically considered — no application necessary

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Bursary

    BursaryOther

    What is assessed: Means-tested; financial circumstances assessed independently by Bursary Assessment Associates

    When: Register by 31 October; bursary form to be completed by 6 November

    What it's worth: Value not stated on the school's published pages

    How to apply: Separate application required — indicate bursary application at registration, then complete the bursary form

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

16+ entry

  • Academic Scholarship

    ScholarshipAcademic

    What is assessed: Awarded on GCSE results at Sixth Form entry

    When: Following GCSE results for Sixth Form entry

    What it's worth: Honorary award — no fee remission (no financial benefit)

    How to apply: All entrance candidates automatically considered — no application necessary

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Art Scholarship

    ScholarshipArt

    What is assessed: Assessment by application

    When: Sixth Form admissions cycle

    What it's worth: Honorary award — no fee remission (no financial benefit)

    How to apply: Separate application required

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Drama Scholarship

    ScholarshipDrama

    What is assessed: Assessment by application

    When: Sixth Form admissions cycle

    What it's worth: Honorary award — no fee remission (no financial benefit)

    How to apply: Separate application required

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Music Scholarship

    ScholarshipMusic

    What is assessed: Audition/assessment by application

    When: Sixth Form admissions cycle

    What it's worth: The value of a year's tuition (30 lessons) in one instrument — the only MCS scholarship with a financial benefit

    How to apply: Separate application required

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Sports Scholarship

    ScholarshipSport

    What is assessed: Assessment by application

    When: Sixth Form admissions cycle

    What it's worth: Honorary award — no fee remission (no financial benefit)

    How to apply: Separate application required

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Bursary

    BursaryOther

    What is assessed: Means-tested; financial circumstances assessed independently by Bursary Assessment Associates

    When: Register by 30 September; bursary form to be completed by 31 October

    What it's worth: Value not stated on the school's published pages

    How to apply: Separate application required — indicate bursary application at registration, then complete the bursary form

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

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