# Magdalen College School, Brackley

Magdalen College School, Brackley, in Northamptonshire, is one of three ancient "Magdalen College Schools", the others being Magdalen College School in Oxford, and Wainfleet All Saints in Lincolnshire, all associated with Magdalen College, Oxford and its founder William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester. Located in the town of Brackley, the school occupies two sites: Waynflete site and St John's site (see history section). The Waynfleye site was formerly a Secondary Modern school. This site accommodates most of the secondary school students' lessons, after which students transfer to the St John's site (the site of the old Magdalen College School before the two schools were merged) for more of their lessons during the Sixth Form. Today the school has approximately 1,500 students, and averages 59% A*–C at GCSE
Previously a boys' grammar school, then a voluntary controlled comprehensive school, it converted to academy status in January 2013. The St John's site is still owned by Magdalen College, Oxford, and they are represented on the governing body, but Magdalen (Brackley) had to lease the site from the Oxford college for 999 years to become an academy.

## History

The site now occupied by the school was originally the Hospital of St. James and St. John, founded around 1150 by Robert le Bossu, Earl of Leicester. In 1484 it was given to Magdalen College, Oxford. By 1548 there was a school at the site, its initial purpose being to allow pupils of the college in Oxford to escape the plague affecting the city at the time.
In September 1973 MCS merged with the Girls Grammar School (Brackley High) and Brackley Secondary Modern School to form a new comprehensive school on two sites, while the girls' school was converted into the new Southfield Primary school. This school has approximately 1500 students

## Chapel

Formerly a chapel for the hospital of St. James and St. John, the earliest datable parts are late-12th century, although many parts are 13th century. The chapel underwent a major restoration between 1869 and 1870 by Buckeridge.
It is constructed of stone rubble and is one of the largest school chapels, and the oldest school chapel still in use in England. It remains in regular use by the school, Church of England and local community.

## Head teachers

* 1548–1552 – Thomas Godwin
* 1552–1558 – Robert Bede
* 1571–1576 – John Bede
* 1576–1588 – Roger Webster
* 1588 – Laurence Humphreys
* 1653 – Mr Perkins
* 1675–1687 – John Gibbs
* 1692–1715 – Rev. Thomas Yeomans
* 1715–1721 – Moses Loveday
* 1721–1752 – Richard Cooper
* 1765–1777 – Rev. John Young
* 1777–1784 – William Bannister
* 1784–1821 – Thomas Bannister
* 1821–1825 – Mr Walker
* 1826–1856 – Thomas Hawkins
* 1860–1864 – Rev. F. B. Falkner
* 1864–1870 – Rev. Thomas Russell
* 1871–1879 – Rev. Frank Taylor
* 1879–1882 – Rev. John William Boyd
* 1882–1899 – Rev. Isaac Wodhams
* 1900–1910 – Rev. William Holdgate
* 1910–1929 – Rev. Robert Forster Ashwin
* 1930–1936 – A.H.B. Bishop
* 1937–1952 – Rev. A Bolton
* 1952–1973 – Eric G. Forrester
* 1973–1993 – Keith Marsh
* 1993–2006 – Elaine Wotherspoon
* 2006–2023 – Ian Colling
* 2023–Present – Tom Hollis

## Notable former pupils

Notable former pupils include:
* Robert Addie, actor
* Meyrick Chapman, 1908 Olympic athlete (100m)
* Sir John Coles, Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher, 1981–1984; British Ambassador to Jordan, 1984–1988; British High Commissioner to Australia, 1988–1991; Head of the British Diplomatic Service (Permanent Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office) 1994–7.
* Michael Dudley, circuit judge
* Robin Dunbar, evolutionary psychologist
* Michael Ipgrave, Anglican bishop
* Allan Leighton, former Chief Executive Officer, Asda Group, and former Chairman, Royal Mail Group
* Jon-Paul Pittman, footballer
* Anna Reynolds, playwright