Magdalen College School (MCS) 13 Plus (13+) Entrance Exam Information
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Magdalen College School is an independent day school for boys in Oxford. Dating back to 1480, it has educated numerous eminent alumni, including a Nobel Prize winner, a Harvard University Professor, an Ambassador and the most highly decorated soldier in British history. [1]
The inspiring teaching provision at MCS is rooted in a varied curriculum that covers mathematics, Classics, science, Mandarin and technology, among other subjects. Lilium (PSHCE) lessons allow pupils to gain a deep understanding of the UK’s political system and democracy, familiarising them with both the wider world’s socio-economic and cultural complexities. [2]
The rich range of extracurriculars enables boys’ further development, facilitated mainly beyond the confines of the classroom. Everything from Sailing Squad, DofE Award and fencing to Film Club, photography and chess is on offer, inspiring growth and progress through collaborative effort, which maximises pupils’ communication skills in the process. [3]
Academically selective, MCS instills in pupils a love of learning and a passion for discovery, encouraging them to embrace challenges on their path to success. Decisive and articulate, they proceed to make a positive contribution within their communities, advocating for fairness and betterment with enthusiasm, flexibility and an open mind.
Magdalen College School (MCS) 13 Plus (13+) Pretest Exam Information
Address: Cowley Place, Oxford OX4 1DZ
County: Oxfordshire
Admissions info: registrar@mcsoxford.org or 01865 242191
School type: Independent day school for boys
Open day: March, June, September
13+ Exam date, pre-test entry: January of Year 6
13+ Exam date, standard entry: January of Year 8
13+ Exam type / Board: School’s own
Open Events for Magdalen College School 13 Plus (13+) Entry
MCS welcomes prospective families on campus each term. Open Afternoons offer the perfect opportunity to explore the school’s facilities, learn about the teaching provision and meet staff members, as well as the Head. Booking is made through this page.
Magdalen College School 13 Plus (13+) Admissions
There are two routes for 13+ entry to Magdalen College School. Your son can either sit the Pre-test exam while he is in Year 6, or he can apply for entry into Year 9 through the 13+ Entrance Examination, taking place in January of Year 8.
For the Pre-test route, the registration deadline is in late October of Year 6 and the registration fee is £100. The admissions process will include examinations, references and an interview. If your son performs well, he will be invited to the school to sit further assessments (Common Entrance or Academic Scholarship tests) while in Year 8.
For the 13+ Entrance Examination route, the registration deadline is in late October of Year 8. Entry is based on quality references, interviews and strong performance in formal examinations.
If your son is offered a place, you will be asked to accept it with a payment of a £1,000 deposit, which will be refunded during his last term at the school.
Magdalen College School 13 Plus (13+) Scholarships and Bursaries
At 13+, MCS awards Academic, Art, Music and Sports Scholarships. All-Rounder and Governors’ Presentations Awards are offered on the basis of entry examination results.
Academic Scholarships are awarded to top-performing applicants in the Pre-tests who also excel in the Academic Scholarship assessments, covering English, French, General Paper, German, Greek, Latin, Maths, Science and Spanish.
Art Scholarships are offered to applicants following submission of a portfolio and an interview. Music Scholarship applicants are expected to perform at a Grade VI standard in at least one instrument. Sports Award applicants should be County standard in at least one sport. They may be offered a scholarship following success in a practical assessment.
Means-tested bursaries are also available and they are worth 10-100% of fees. The amount of support will depend on your financial circumstances, including family assets, gross income, liabilities and lifestyle.
Applicants who are awarded with a free place (100% of fees) will also receive support for lunch, field trips and some other extras. If you wish your child to be considered for a bursary, you should indicate your interest in the registration form. Results will be made known once an offer of a place has been made. More details are available on this page.
Magdalen College School 13 Plus (13+) Exam Format
The Magdalen College School Pre-test entrance exam consists of the following assessments:
- English (60 minutes)
- Mathematics (60 minutes)
- Verbal Reasoning (45 minutes)
The Magdalen College School 13+ Entrance Examination consists of the following assessments:
- English (90 minutes)
- Mathematics (60 minutes)
- Verbal Reasoning (45 minutes)
The English papers examine both comprehension and writing skills, including inference, spelling, vocabulary and punctuation.
The maths exams assess your child’s problem-solving abilities and arithmetic skills. The papers will include questions on number, measurement, geometry, algebra and statistics.
The Verbal Reasoning papers are designed to test and assess logical thinking, use of English language and vocabulary.
Please see below for further details and recommendations on how to prepare for the Magdalen College School 13+ entrance exams.
How to Prepare for the Magdalen College School 13 Plus (13+) Exam
To successfully prepare your child for the selective Magdalen College School 13+ entrance exam, we recommend using practice tests. Our resources fully reflect the actual exam by covering all the question types that could come up, whilst helping your child become familiar with the exam layout.
Coupled with a structured study plan, our practice tests will help you define any weak areas that require additional work at the earliest. They will also help you recognise your child’s strengths, resulting in a significant boost of their confidence in the lead up to the big day.
Furthermore, your child will get used to answering questions quickly and effectively, under time pressure.
Our resources are designed to be age-appropriate, yet challenging, and, as such, they are used successfully by tens of thousands of students every year. Our recommendations to help your child prepare for the Magdalen College School 13 Plus entrance examination can be found below.
Magdalen College School 13 Plus (13+) Exam Practice Papers
Recommendations for each section of the Magdalen College School 13 Plus exam can be found below:
Magdalen College School 13+ Pre-test Exam
*As the MCS Pre-test exam is taken in Year 6 as opposed to Year 8, we recommend the following 11+ practice papers to help your child prepare.
English (11+)
We highly recommend the following packs to prepare successfully for the Magdalen College School 13+ English paper, taken in Year 6:
Comprehension
11+ Complete Comprehension Guide
Writing
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended 11+ resources for the Magdalen College School English exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:
11+ English Bundle
If you’d like to have your child’s writing assessed and marked, you may be interested in our Writing Marking Service. Please click here to learn more.
Mathematics (11+)
We highly recommend the use of the following packs to help develop your child’s arithmetic and problem-solving skills within the examination context of the Magdalen College School 13 Plus maths test, taken in Year 6:
Full Practice Tests
Skill Specific Practice
11+ Fractions, Decimals & Percentages
11+ Reflection, Rotation & Symmetry
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended 11+ resources for the Magdalen College School Maths exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:
11+ Mathematics Bundle
Verbal Reasoning (11+)
Practice Tests
To develop your child’s Verbal Reasoning abilities ahead of the Magdalen College School 13+ Pre-test examination, we suggest that you make use of the following packs that cover all of the key question types:
Skill Specific Practice
The following topic specific packs will help your child prepare for the various question types that could come up in the Magdalen College School 13+ Verbal Reasoning Pre-test exam:
Masterclasses
11+ Verbal Reasoning Masterclass
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended 11+ resources for the Magdalen College School Verbal Reasoning exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:
11+ Verbal Reasoning Bundle
Interviews
11+ Interviews – The Complete Guide
Magdalen College School 13+ Entrance Examination
English (13+)
We highly recommend the following packs to prepare successfully for the Magdalen College School 13+ English paper:
13+ English: Rewrite & Improve
Mathematics (13+)
We highly recommend the following papers to successfully prepare for the Magdalen College School 13+ Mathematics paper:
Verbal Reasoning (13+)
The following packs will significantly improve your child’s Verbal Reasoning skills ahead of the Magdalen College School 13+ entrance examination:
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Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions were included in Magdalen College School 13+ past papers. The information provided about Magdalen College School was believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware of future changes. We advise you to contact the school directly if you are unsure of anything. School contact details are provided within the post.
Other entry points for Magdalen College School:
Click here to learn about Year 3 entry via the 7 Plus (7+) Exam
Click here to learn about Year 4 entry via the 8 Plus (8+) Exam
Click here to learn about Year 7 entry via the 11 Plus (11+) Exam
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