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OXBRIDGE ENTRY - AN ALL-TIME RECORD
More candidates than ever before have been offered Oxbridge places this year. 36 pupils, 40% of the year group, have been given conditional places at Oxford and Cambridge. Last year 32 boys were offered places at Oxbridge, again, more than a third of the year group. This year's record numbers 19 offers from Cambridge and 17 from Oxford. The Master, Dr Tim Hands said 'This is yet another example of the consistent academic achievement at Magdalen College School over recent years. It is also significant that these results were achieved by the first year group to participate in the Waynflete Studies programme. I congratulate the pupils, and the staff, who have helped them towards such an outstanding achievement.' Amongst the successful candidates are Masaatsu Kusunoki who also won an organ scholarship, and Charlie Littlewood and Henry Anderson-Elliott who both won choral scholarships as well. Georgie Merson, who joined the Upper Sixth in September, has been offered at place at Lady Margaret Hall to read PPE.
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Congratulations!: The Oxbridge cohort of 2011 |
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155, Issue 4 - Out Now!
The latest edition of MCS' creative writing magazine, 155, has just been released. To view the publication please click here |
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Triumph for MCS at inaugural rugby tournament
MCS welcomed some 90 boys from six local schools on Monday, November 20th, as the Junior School hosted its inaugural rugby tournament. Taking place on the Christ Church pitches, good rugby was played with high levels of spirit and determination throughout the day. The MCS team, coached by David Dyer, won their group with solid wins over Abingdon 'B' and Chandlings, before defeating New College in the semi-final. The final, a re-match versus Chandlings who'd also progressed from the group-stage in second place, was a tight and highly competitive affair, with two excellent break-away trys from MCS proving to be the difference between the sides. Oliver Dickson, Magdalen's captain, was presented with the trophy by MCS' Director of Sport, Matthew Penton. Will Giles took the Player of the Tournament award. Well done to all involved!
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Rugby: another triumph for the U13's
The U13 A's have added another victory to their impressive season, beating The Dragon's A team 26-10. In a very competitive match, in which both teams played some excellent rugby, Tom Eyles, Cianne Wynne, Constantine Patt and Ed Owen were all try scorers. The U13s - coached by Grant Seely - have won 12 out of their 15 matches this season. Mr Seely has just been awarded the highest RFU coaching award at Level Four. Each year 12-16 coaches are selected from the professional game and have to take various modules in all aspects of coaching. Mr Seely came top! Many congratulations.
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Grant Seely receiving his Level 4 Coaching Award from the RFU's Dick Tilley |
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Explosive Week of Rugby at MCS
In an eventful week of rugby, the four MCS U12 and U13 sides all won against strong opposition from Portsmouth Grammar School. In the Fourth Round of the Daily Mail Cup, the U15 team overcame a physical and strong Aylesbury Grammar side 29-10. They now face the winner of Solihull School v Bishop Vesey's in the next round and are feeling confident after a 27-7 win against Cokethorpe at the weekend.
At senior level the 1st XV recorded a 19-19 draw with Abingdon, and with a depleted squad played some amazing rugby only to lose narrowly (20-15) to a strong Cokethorpe side. The two unanswered MCS tries in the second half typified the strength of character in the team.
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Junior Chess Congress comes to MCS
The annual Oxfordshire Junior Chess Congress was held at MCS on Sunday, 7th November. Attended by over 120 players from the county and surrounding areas, the MCS players performed well against what was some strong competition.
Jack Daly (U8) and Matthew Daggitt (U18) were both age group champions. Medal winners also included with William Duckett (U8; 3rd), Julius Gasson and David Phillips (U10; 3rd), and Kirill Lasis (U14 2nd). Well done to all involved!
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Matthew Daggitt and Jack Daly with their awards |
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MCS in second place |
The Sunday Times' Parent Power League Table - another good year for MCS
MCS has come second in The Sunday Times' Parent Power league table 2010, making it the top boys' school in the country. The rankings are based upon A*-B grades achieved at GCSE, with A-Level scores being double weighted. An average of 99.7% of Magdalen pupils gained an A* or an A in all A-Levels taken in 2010, and 97.3% earned the top two grades at GCSE. The school came top of the Parent Power league table in 2008 and fifth in 2009. The Master, Dr Tim Hands, said, 'MCS has remained consistently at the top of this league table in the last three years, making us year on year one of the most consistently high-performing schools in the country. Such results are the culmination of excellent teaching and hard work.'
To read more about the newspaper's popular 'Parent Power' rankings, please click here. |
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Upper 4th student commended in prestigious poetry competition
Dominic Hand, an Upper Fourth student at MCS, has come second in his age-group in the Stephen Spender Prize, a national competition for poetry translation. Dominic's translation of Baudelaire's French poem 'Spleen' into English was commended by the judges in the 14 and under category. Successful translation of poetry, recognizing the complexities of form and rhythm, is no easy task. Dominic will now attend an award ceremony in London on Wednesday, 10th November. The Stephen Spender Trust, which presents the awards, was established in 1997 in memory of Stephen Spender, a translator of poetry and a champion of artistic freedom. Dominic's translation and commentary can be read here. |
Dominic pictured with actor and comedian Barry Humphries, his wife Lizzie Spender, and Professor Susan Bassnett, one of the judges. |
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Historians head to Istanbul
Sixth Formers studying History at MCS enjoyed the latest departmental trip to Istanbul over the half-term break.
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Geography Department hit Weymouth!
35 dedicated students from the MCS Geography Department enjoyed a camping trip in Dorset over half-term to conduct some essential field work for their AS course. The 6th formers, accompanied by the Geography teaching staff and Dr Richard, gathered scientific information in Weymouth before presenting their findings to one another at a professional conference centre in the town. The group also enjoyed a tour of the Traveller's Rest Farm, and had an opportunity to see coastal erosion up-close at Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door. Many thanks to all those who made the trip a brilliant success! |
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Summer School Report
In July 2010, MCS welcomed children from four local primary schools for an intensive three-day course designed to challenge and stimulate their academic interests.
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Students in charge!
Students in the Junior School experienced a very different day in school last week, as pupils Thomas Edmiston and Archie Licudi took over as Head and Deputy Head for the day. The pair, interviewed and appointed to the 24 hour post by the boys' School Council, spent the day teaching and leading meetings with staff and pupils.
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Wilkinson-Blagden House Trips 2010
The first two Wilkinson-Blagden House trips of the year were a tremendous success, with a surfing trip to Porthcawl, Wales, and a bowling excursion to the Kassam Stadium!
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Lower 6th visit University Material Science Department
A-level students from MCS enjoyed a trip to the Material Science Department at the University of Oxford last week. As guests of a research team of university graduates, the group were thrilled to be taken on a tour of the site, the highlight of which was seeing the new Atom Probe worth £3m. The students also worked on experiments with the researchers using scanning electron microscopes, and witnessed a super conducting levitation. Many thanks to the department for accomodating the students and provinding such an interesting experience. |
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MCS Rugby Record A Clean Sweep Against Southampton
On Saturday 2nd October MCS recorded a clean sweep against King Edward VI Southampton, scoring 229 points across the seven teams. The 1st XV led by example, scoring over 40 points in the second half. The U12 A XV recorded their first win of the season, with Tom Scriven scoring a hat trick. The U16 A XV continued their unbeaten season with a 33-12 win.
MCS look forward to their matches against Wellingborough at the weekend. |
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MCS pupils sing for Pope
On Sunday, September 19th, a group of MCS students and their families left Oxford at 3am and headed for Cofton Park, Birmingham. The occasion was a special Mass, celebrated by the Pope on his state visit to the UK, to beatify John Henry Newman – the final step before declaring him to be a saint.
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BBC Young Chorister finalist
MCS student Jacob Thorn has made it to the final of the BBC Radio 2 Young Choristers of the Year competition. Jacob, in the Third Form, is one of eight finalists in the nationwide competition. The event will take place at St Paul’s Cathedral, London, on October 29th, and will be broadcast on BBC Songs of Praise on February 6th, 2011.
Jacob has previously won the Michael Howard Junior Vocal Prize in the Oxford Festival. He has also been selected by world-renowned conductor Vladimir Jurowski to be the treble soloist for Mahler’s Das Klagende Lied next January at the Royal Festival Hall, and by Nicholas Cleobury for the Fauré Requiem next March at the Sheldonian Theatre. |
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New Appointment for MCS’s Usher
Steffan Griffiths has been appointed as the new Head Master at Norwich School. He will be replacing the existing head, Jim Hawkins, who is taking on the post of Master at Harrow.
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Emphatic win for 1st XV
MCS racked up nine tries on Thursday, September 23rd, in an emphatic 51-7 victory versus Dean Close School, Cheltenham. In front of a large crowd, the boys played fluid and attacking rugby. Lewis Flanagan put in a man of the match performance for MCS from second row, capping off a superb display with two tries. Speaking after the game, the school’s head of sport, Matt Penton, said: ‘The performance was the most mature the first XV have shown all season’.
The side now look forward to a home friendly against Southampton on Saturday, October 2nd. The game kicks off at 11am on the school field, and all support is welcome!
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Premiership referee visits MCS
Former Premiership referee David Grasshoff visited MCS on Monday, September 27th. He was invited by the school’s rugby professional, Grant Seely, to talk to the 1st XV side about the complexities of refereeing, and the most effective ways of communicating with a referee while on the pitch.
The boys questioned Mr Grasshoff on his knowledge of the game, and he gave helpful advice about rule changes brought in by the RFU this year. The highlight of the visit for the team was the opportunity to play a competitive match refereed by David, in which he demonstrated a range of refereeing styles.
The school would like to thank David for his time and his valuable insights. |
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Eco Award for the New Building
Oxford City Council has presented the 2010 Sustainable Building Award to MCS for the New Building in recognition of its eco-friendly design.
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Girls Hockey Team Trimuph
Magdalen College School marked another landmark on Wednesday afternoon as the girls hockey team took to the pitch for their first ever competitive fixture against Wychwood School.
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U13 XV win Dragon School Rugby Tournament
Congratulations to the U13s who won the Dragon School Tournament this week, beating Abingdon, Davenies, Caldicott, The Beacon and Dragon to take the title. Theo Dale was the top try scorer and Freddie Logan made some excellent conversions, including the match-wining kick in the final.
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Golf Champion Junior School pupil Gregor McKenzie won the British Junior Golf Tour Grand Final for his age group over the summer. The promising nine-year old had rounds of 97 and 99 at Heythrop Park to finish four shots clear of the field. This was his second victory in two outings in this series. In the previous year at St Pierre, Chepstow, he won by a staggering 12 strokes. |
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5th Form Geography Trip
On the 2nd of September the Geography Department, accompanied by Dr Smith, Mr Ramdin, Mr Horn and Mr Kostyanovsky led 52 GCSE students into the heart of Snowdonia to carry out their long-overdue fieldwork, delayed by nothing less than unexpected volcanism, worldwide airline crisis and a department stranded in India! Amazingly the sun was shining for the duration of the weekend, even allowing for a brief paddle in the sea at Morfa Harlech sanddunes! Friday saw these dunes awash with MCS students and busy with geographical activity; the cloudless sky interrupted only by the occasional high-flying quadrat breaking the crest of the dune ridges.
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Ringing the changes…
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Fit and Ready
The 1st XV and U15 rugby squads enjoyed three days of pre-season training at the Liddington PGL centre. The days began with pre-breakfast runs and the boys experienced some excellent team building activities including a high trapeze, raft building and a giant swing. Rugby theory seminars were held in the lecture theatres and practical sessions focusing on core skill development and fitness training formed part of each day. The teams are looking forward to a full fixture list this term. |
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MCS at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2010
This August, a group of seven boys (ranging from U4th to U6th), made their professional theatre debut at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Under the direction of Mr. Anthony, the boys performed “Circus of Shadows”, a collection of dark and menacing extracts from the history of British Theatre, ranging from Shakespeare through to Pinter. The piece was supported by a narration of new writing (provided by Mr. Anthony), in which a young boy journeys through a house of human horrors, progressing downwards through the building and revealing a different monologue or duologue behind each door that he opens. The piece ran for seven nights at Sweet City, one of the Festivals leading venues, and played to full and enthusiastic audiences. The boys worked tremendously hard in promoting the show (including three hours of gruelling ‘flyering’ on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile each day!) and all involved should be commended for their energy and professionalism, raising the bar for MCS drama once again. |
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Top cadet honours for MCS boy MCS Combined Cadet Force Under Officer Sam Bourke was selected as one of only 12 British Cadets to attend the Rocky Mountain cadet leadership and challenge course in Canada this summer. Along with 200 other cadets from Canada he completed adventure training in white water kayaking, rock climbing, mountain biking, alpine trekking and glacier trekking over a 6 week course in the spectacular setting of the Canadian Rockies. Sam was selected as the top British cadet on the course, and therefore will be invited to return to the same course next year as a staff cadet. This also meant that he was given the role of Deputy Commanding Officer for the final graduation parade. |
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GCSE Results 2010- Another Record Year Congratulations to all our GCSE pupils who have achieved yet another record year of results.
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A Level Results 2010
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Congratulations to all our Upper Sixth on achieving another year of outstanding A level results.
The number of A*-B grades at 99.4% is just 0.2% off our record results in 2008, the highest results yet achieved by a UK school.
Well done to all. Click here for more information and comments from the Master and Usher. |
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Theology and History trip to Krakow and Auschwitz
During the summer a number of Theology and History students visited Poland. This trip was a little unusual as school trips go, as its central point was a visit to the former concentration camp of Auschwitz near the Polish town of Oswiencim. The trip also had a holiday dimension. The Wawel castle in Krakow is the Polish national shrine treated with reverence and described by the locals in the choicest superlatives. |
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Choir Tour to the Low Countries - July 2010
In July the college choir enjoyed a successful tour to the Low Countries, combining a series of concerts with plenty of sightseeing, and, for the boys, long warm evenings of cricket and football together. Belgian ice creams and a boat trip around the beautiful waterways of Bruges were a welcome reward for hard work in the first rehearsal and concert, singing alongside Michelangelo's "Madonna of Bruges" in Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk. Sint Gertrudiskerk in Bergen op Zoom was a wonderful concert venue - a fantastically resonant building. Its "pepperpot" tower was irresistible to choristers with a tower-climbing habit, and the view from the top fantastic. Sightseeing in Antwerp included Flemish masters and enthusiastic souvenir shopping. Thanks to the in-coach fridge, some Belgian chocolate even made it home to the parents. |
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Sports Day - 28th June 2010
This whole school event, staged in basking sunshine at the famous Iffley Road track, was enjoyed by parents, staff and pupils. All pupils in the Second, Third, Lower Fourth, Upper Fourth and Fifth Form had the chance to contribute to the House Standards trophy, which was won by Wilkinson House.
The main event saw an increased number of boys take part. A new school record was set by Freddy Campbell in the junior hurdles, whilst Chavasse House equalled the 1985 Senior 4 x 100 relay record with a time of 48.2 seconds.
All 1st, 2nd & 3rd place competitors received certificates.
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Art Success - June 2010
Artworks by George Townsend, Henry Anderson-Elliott, and Peter Allen were selected for the online A Level Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition which received 1,300 submissions. Roly Bagnall’s work was also shortlisted for the competition. The exhibition has been curated by Royal Academician Richard Wilson and RA curator Dr Adrian Locke.
For more information visit the Royal Academy website by clicking here.
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Clearly or Darkly - George Townsend |
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MCS WINS NATIONAL MATHS TEAM CHALLENGE - June 2010
Congratulations to Eddy Grogan, Freddie Illingworth, Alex Gunasekera and Stephen Jones who have triumphed at the National Maths Team Challenge and beaten 80 other schools to take the title.
The National Final took place on Monday in London and the MCS boys were in the top five at the end of each round. They were supervised throughout the day by a teacher from another school who commented on their speed and knowledge. Freddie solved one question, designed to take the team five minutes, in seconds. In the final round, the difficult cross number section, the time allocation had to be halved, but our team scored a staggering 59/60.
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Olympic Trip - June 2010
On Sunday 20th June 2010 third form winners of the Geographical Association's Worldwise Quiz (Arthur Bickersteth, Matti Darowski and Will Hardyman) went to London to claim their prize. They won a tour of the 2012 Olympic stadium - by bicycle! The weather was kind and the boys found that going by bike we could view the stadium, aquatics centre, velodrome, basketball stadium, Olympic village, and a fantastic aerial view where we could appreciate the sheer size of the site. The landscaping has yet to be done so at the moment the whole area still looks like a large building site. It will be very interesting for us to chart its progress in the countdown to the 2012 Olympics!
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Black Country Museum - June 2010
On Friday 11th June the 2nd form visited the Black Country Museum in Dudley. Costumed guides led the boys on a tour of industries, crafts and recreational activities from the early 20th century. Talks were heard from the chain-maker, the confectioner, the pharmacist and the baker before a barge trip through the amazing Dudley canal tunnel, a lesson in a late Victorian school and some fun in the fairground. Mr Spowart seems to have had a particularly fine time!
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1st XI Beat Rugby by 76 Runs - June 2010
This Saturday gone saw the second block fixture against Rugby School. In a very exciting declaration game the 1st XI were put into bat on a green looking wicket and were quite aggressive early on, scoring 52 off the first 12 overs. However, three wickets fell reasonably quickly putting MCS in a difficult position. Jai Patel and Charlie Beeson steadied the ship for a few overs, and with 55 overs gone and a declaration required soon for the state of the match, Patel and Henry Anderson-Elliott launched an assault on the Rugby attack, Patel the last out for 84, the total score 230 a very competitive total.
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Ringing the changes - May 2010
Magdalen College School advertised a very unusual lunch club last September, inviting pupils to try their hand at 'ringing in the bell-towers of Oxford'. Since then, a band of 10 boys have been learning the ancient and very English art of change-ringing: practising first with 'tied clappers', so as not to disturb the dreaming spires. But on July 3rd these 16 year olds have been granted permission by Magdalen College to ring open bells as their peers walk across the bridge for their annual Commemoration Service. The Chaplain, Rev'd Tess Kuin Lawton said, 'Magdalen tower has long been at the heart of Oxford tradition, but now we have a new generation of young people ready to take up the challenge of a very different traditional art in the 21st century. We are so grateful for this unique opportunity.' |
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MCS sailing team wins British Schools Southern Region Championships - for the fourth year in a row - May 2010
Saturday took two sailing teams to the Southern Region Championships hosted by Canford.
MCS 2 beat several strong sides in the silver league, but were prevented by the format from progressing into the final stages.
MCS 1 sailed with assurance until coming unstuck against Wellington, but progressed through to the finals where the Wellington threat was resisted with excellent, close racing.
MCS 1 came away with the top prize for the fourth successive year.
Well done to both teams. Helm Sam Jenkins is to collect the BSDRA Southerns Trophy. |
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Cricket Update - May 2010
This past weekend saw a very busy day of cricket against Abingdon. On the whole a very successful day for the boys, winning 7 from the 11 fixtures played.
The 1st XI lost a very good game, Abingdon scoring 247 and Magdalen finishing just 26 runs short, Charlie Beeson scoring 66.
The U12A had a crushing victory, bowling the opposition out for 39, Ed smith taking 5 wickets for 11 runs. They then knocked of the total with ease, not losing a wicket and look forward to playing in the County Cup on Wednesday. The U15A also had an excellent victory, winning by 7 wickets. Chris Nourse the man in form scoring 63, with excellent support from Josh Wade and Michael Forrest.
The 3rd XI kept up there unbeaten season with a 6 wicket win, Andrew Willis scoring 53. The U15B are the other side that remains unbeaten, wining by 5 wickets after bowling Abingdon out for 84.
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Callendar wins Tug of War - May 2010
Friday lunchtimes this term have thus far brought not only sunshine and the opportunity for the mind to begin to wander to the potential joys that the weekend may bring but have also heralded the House Tug of War competition; an opportunity to show off brute force, team-work and (apparently for some) too much flesh. This keenly fought battle of will and might tugged at not only the sinews of the competitors themselves but also the heart strings of the audience who watched in awe as teams of 8 hand picked warriors from the upper echelons of the six houses took to the field and pulled for pride and glory.
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Tennis - 22nd May 2010
A good week for the U15A side saw them enjoy two very tight wins. They beat a good Radley side 5 - 4 and a tough Bradfield side also 5 - 4. This puts them undefeated so far for the year with four wins out of four.
The 1st team also recorded a tight victory over an evenly matched Bradfield side, winning 5 - 4.
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Cricket Latest - May 2010
We won 5 games out of 6 against KES Southampton.
The 1st XI recording solid victory by 4 wickets. Tom Hogan the star of the show, scoring his first hundred for the school with 106.
Another win for the U13A, who after struggling with the bat for the first couple of games have really come on strong, scoring 189 for 4, Ben Reid scoring 55 in their 99 run victory. |
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Winter Tennis Academy Training Pays Off For the 1st VI Tennis Team - May 2010
The senior 1st VI tennis team won their fifth match of the season on Saturday with a convincing win against Pangbourne College. Captain, Steven Piddock, who has now played for four years in the 1st VI is delighted with his young team's success so far. The team have also beaten Shrewsbury, Cheltenham College and The Oratory. A draw in sets away to Eton was another strong performance, narrowly losing on rubbers. The players have really benefitted from the winter tennis academy sessions at MCS. |
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MCS Juniors reach National Championship chess finals - May 2010
The MCS Junior School chess team enjoyed a victorious weekend at the EPSCA National Schools U11 Semi-Finals held in Somerset. This event, for teams which had qualified through the previous regional rounds, saw thirty schools competing for the top two places to reach the national finals in July. Only eight teams from the whole of the country reach this level.
The MCS boys were in great form, winning five of their six matches and drawing the other. They were semi-finals champions for the second year running, a great achievement.
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New Head of Development- May 2010
MCS has appointed a new Head of Development, Salima Hyde. Mrs Hyde says she is much looking forward to the new role.
I graduated from St John's College, Cambridge with a degree in Classics and Social and Political Sciences, and took up my first job in development in 2005, at the Perse School in Cambridge. I then moved into higher education, running the Annual Fund at Jesus College for two years, before then moving into major gifts fundraising at St John's College. After relocating to Oxford in April 2009, I spent a year as Associate Development Director at University College, Oxford.
MCS is an extraordinary school, buzzing with energy, ambition and purpose, and I am very much looking forward to working with OWs, staff, parents and pupils as the next phase of the School's development plans moves forward. I feel very privileged to be joining MCS at such an exciting time and I am looking forward to meeting and getting to know as many OWs and friends of the School as possible." |
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A leap forward for MCs showjumper Clark Glasgow - May 2010
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MCS City Schools� Athletics Champions - May 2010
MCS under 17 athletics team won the City Schools' Athletics Championships on Wednesday 12th May. The highlight was seeing the slick 4 x 100 relay team win the final event of the day. Eight schools competed, with Cherwell coming second and St Edward�s third.
MCS won a large number of the events. First places were:
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Magdalen College Choir rehearsing for the Newbury Spring Festival |
Sell-out concert success for College Choir - May 2010
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Tennis News - May 2010
Saturday 8th May the 1st VI beat The Oratory School 9 - 0 in a superb display of sound tactical doubles play. This gives them two wins in a row having beaten a good Cheltenham College side 5 - 4 last Saturday in what was a very close match. |
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Cricket News - May 2010
The U14A side remains unbeaten this season, with victories over: Wellingborough, Bromsgrove and The Oratory. Hal Stevenson has been the star of late, taking nine wickets in the last two matches. Hal has taken 4 for 10 against Bromsgrove School and 5 for 12 against The Oratory over the past two weekends.
The 3rd XI are also unbeaten, this weekend saw captain Tom Stevens scoring 58 to get past The Oratory�s total of 132,The team eventually winning by 4 wickets.
This week sees tough midweek fixtures against local rivals, St Edwards.
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Thames Valley Regatta - May 2010
Saturday took two sailing teams to the Thames Valley Championships hosted by Eton.
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Magdalen’s choir blossoms on May Day - May 2010
Choristers greeting May Day morning from Oxford’s Magdalen College Tower heralded an historic change for the choir as it was announced that women will now be able to join. Magdalen will be the first of the five Oxbridge College choirs to use female voices. The College’s Informator Choristarum, Daniel Hyde said, ‘This is an exciting opportunity… We will continue to maintain and develop our traditional men and boys choir whilst also giving women the opportunity to sing in the Chapel’. Master, Dr Tim Hands welcomed the change, ‘This will give one or two of our very best hand-picked Sixth Form girls an enviable opportunity to make music within the University as well as the School’.
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Another good week for MCS Rugby
MCS boys were celebrating another clean sweep on the rugby field this week, with all sides from both the junior and senior schools beating their opposition. The week started well with the 3rd XV beating Bromsgrove 28-5 in an away fixture, and was quickly followed by the U13 A & B sides securing superb victories against Winchester House. Following their lead, all the senior school sides beat their Wellingborough opponents.
Thanks go to their coaches Ian Murray, Grant Seely and Matt Penton for their hard work. The boys now look forward to their next round of matches in the Daily Mail Cup.
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MCS Stir Up for Children in Need!
Pupils from the Junior and Senior School descended on the Dining Hall last week to make Christmas Puddings for Children in Need. There were 13 ingredients for the puddings - 12 for the disciples and one for Jesus - that had been carefully laid out as students shared bowls for the mixing. The fun was the brainchild of the Chaplain and Catering Manager who noted that Sunday 21st November was 'Stir Up Sunday' in the Church of England; the last Sunday before Advent. The prayer for that day (written by Thomas Cranmer in the 16th Century) is:
"Stir Up, O Lord, the wills of your faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may by you be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen."
Many thanks to all those who helped to make the event such a success!
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Upper Forth students busy mixing |
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Ben recieveing his prize from Professor Peter Atkins |
Sixth Form Chemist of the Year
Ben Thorne, an Upper Sixth student at MCS, represented the School last week at the annual Sixth Form Chemist of the Year Awards hosted by Oxford University, The Society of Chemical Industry, and the Oxfordshire Independent and State Schools Partnership (OISSP). Ben was presented with book tokens by world-famous Physical Chemistry expert Professor Peter Atkins, along with fellow prize-winners from a number of other Oxfordshire schools. In addition to this, the successful students also enjoyed a tour of the Chemical Research Laboratories and a spectacular chemical display from Dr Hugh Cartwright and Dr Malcolm Stewart from the University. Speaking at the event Tom Kempton, Project Director of the OISSP, said: 'the event is a chance to celebrate the talent of exceptional students within our county's schools. The University and SCI's involvement will raise aspirations and encourage students to apply their Chemistry skills in higher education and in industry'. Very well done to Ben. |
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Euripides' 'Medea' an all-student success
Early this term, Big School played host to Magdalen's third annual Classical Play, but with a difference.
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Artists back from NY
MCS artists enjoyed a trip to New York over the half-term break. Sarah Cameron led 37 students who 'saw, drew and conquered' Museum Mile, the famous stretch on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue. In an adventurous and varied visit, pupils also dined in Chinatown, shopped in Soho, and attended a lively church service in Harlem. Many thanks to all in the Art department who made the trip a success.
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Third Form student makes County Academy!
Niall Devaney, a Third Form student at MCS, has been selected to join the prestigious Oxfordshire Cricket Emerging Players Programme (EPP) - the only boy to make the grade from the county's U12 squad. The elite programme, set up by the England & Wales Cricket Board in order to support talented young players, will require Niall to follow a carefully guided regime of physical, mental and technical improvement as a player. Very well done to Niall. |
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Euan Murray with students in the Colin Sanders Lecture Theatre |
Students thrilled by rugby international visit
Sixty MCS pupils were thrilled to meet former Saints and Scottish International rugby player Euan Murray last week. Invited by the School's Christian Union, Murray spoke to students about growing up in Scotland, his rugby career, and his conversion to Christianity. Murray was considered one of the best props in the world but caused controversy last year when he decided that he didn't want to play sport on a Sunday. Murray explained that he came to find the trappings and success of the rugby world unsatisfactory, and found that his faith enabled him to break from his bad habits. Many thanks to Euan for coming in and for giving such an interesting talk! |
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1st XV head to Twickenham!
The 1st XV rugby side enjoyed a day out at Twickenham last week to watch their coach, Nicholas Hayden, captain the victorious Oxford University side in the 129th Varsity Match. Playing at scrum-half, Mr Hayden's performance was inspirational and the boys will have felt very fortunate to have been taught by him. Oxford eventually ran out 21-10 winners in a close and competitive encounter. Mr Hayden will be at MCS next term to coach the boys' Sevens, before returning to Australia to resume his career as a surgeon. |
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New Usher
We are delighted to announce that James Hodgson will take up the post of Usher with effect from the Michaelmas Term 2011. Mr Hodgson is currently at Tonbridge where he is Housemaster, Director of Admissions and Teacher of Classics. He was educated at Wellington College and is a graduate of Durham and Cambridge with a BA and PGCE in Classics. He is a keen sportsman and his interests include cricket (Cambridge Blue and MCC), football, rugby, sailing, skiing and golf. James is married to Rachel, another Durham graduate and they have four children.
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The Odyssey
In December, a cast of boys from the 2nd, 3rd and L4th forms delighted audiences with a new version of Homer's 'Odyssey', penned by Mr Thomas. Big School was transformed with an imaginative set design into a world of Greek heroes, gods and monsters. Daniel Wren, as Odysseus, provided a consistently dynamic lead for the thirty-strong cast, while Charlie Baker reclined in omnipotent splendour on Mount Olympus as Zeus. Other main roles included Telemachus and Penelope, performed with great feeling by Stevie Polywka and Bryce Jones respectively. Will Passey and Richard Woods-Rogan played their villainous roles as leading suitors to perfection, while Ed Prendergast characterised Athena as a sulky teenage girl to great effect. The action shifted quickly from palace to island to shipwreck, all to the accompaniment of a slick percussion ensemble. Well done to all involved! |
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Christmas Carols
Magdalen College Chapel was packed for the school's two carol services. The choir, joined by College choristers, sang a variety of anthems and songs along with a specially commissioned piece, Ave Maria by Alexander Campkin. The Collections raised more than a thousand pounds which will be divided equally between the David Brunton Bursary Fund and Shelter. Service-goers were feted with the peal of Magdalen bells thanks to the Campanology Club and thanks also to all involved for making the two services so special.
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Music at Magdalen!
On 12th November 200 boys took part in Music at Magdalen, a concert show-casing some of the musical projects the students have been working on this term. In the first half the audience were treated to some wonderful performances from the Second Orchestra, The Double Bass Quartet and the Woodwind Ensemble; the half ending with Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet Suite no.2 performed by First Orchestra. The second half started lively with the Jazz Band, Close Harmony group and Samba Band keeping everyone on their toes before the large forces of the Choral Society and Parents' choir joined together to perform Vaughan Williams' Mystical songs with fantastic solo performances from Nick Doig, Henry Anderson- Elliott, Aparna Clarke and Charlie Littlewood. |
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Measure for Measure
After MCS' run-away success last year with Kiss Me Kate and The Wind in the Willows, the Michaelmas production, Measure for Measure, had a lot to live up to. One of Shakespeare's darkest problem plays, Mr Anthony, the new Head of Drama, set about providing a Nineteen-Eighties backdrop to the action, which proved to be very popular with the student cast and audience alike. Spread over three evenings, Big School was transformed by fantastic lighting, an electro-pop soundtrack, and some dynamic acting performances. Particular mention should be made for Tom Gidman's coolness in playing the Duke, and Ollie Burrows' hauting betrayal of Angelo. Those who missed out on the production should not despair: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat is in line for next term and promises to be just as exciting! |
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O2 gig a big success!
The popular 02 Academy on the Cowley Road, Oxford, was the scene for this term's Fifth Form and Lower Sixth joint social. Once famed for hosting local acts such as Radiohead, the academy turned host to around 100 MCS students, who were joined by pupils at St Edwards School, Oxford, and Tudor Hall, Banbury. The crowd were ably warmed up by James Digby playing a popular DJ set, followed by Satchin Patel whose guitar and drum and bass mix was very popular. Next up was a band comprised of students from both MCS and St Edwards, before Mr Hemmingway and Mr Hinze stepped up to play a few classics, including The Smiths 'Girlfriend in a Coma'. The evening belonged to exciting Lower Sixth band Gibraltar, however, as they headlined with an impressive set of covers. Tom Smith on vocals and guitar whipped up the crowd and was ably backed-up by Alex Polywka (bass), Alex Davies (drums) and Eliott Wenman (lead guitar). |
Alex Polywka of Gilbralter on bass |
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Christmas Fair breaks records!
The School's Christmas Fair, held in November, has broken all of its previous fundraising records. With an astonishing £7,700 raised the total represented a £3,000 increase on the effort in 2009. With more stallholders than in any previous years, guests were able to browse a wide range of goods from eco sledges to Argentinean leather products. Particularly popular was the Parents Association BBQ, and the Junior School games, which were offering sugary incentives! Thanks to Sophie Grigson, the School ran a cake competition this year with some truly outstanding entries. The PA have decided that some of the proceeds from this year's fair are to go to the Parasol Project, an Oxford-based charity that works to improve the quality of life for disabled and disadvantaged children. The School are very grateful to all those in the PA who made the event such a success, as well as the maintenance team and SODECO caterers who were very helpful.
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