Magdalen College School, Oxford, 11 Plus (11+)/Year 7 (First Year) Online Quest Assessments
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Magdalen College School (MCS), founded in the 15th century by William Waynflete, is an independent day school for boys aged 7-18, with a co-educational Sixth Form. It boasts an impressive list of alumni, including Sir Sam Mendes, an Oscar-winning film and stage director; Sir Timothy Hunt, a Nobel Prize winner; and Tom Scriven, a cricketer.
The school is proud of its reputation for high academic standards. Lessons are not about pupils passively absorbing information, but about them being fully engaged in the learning process. While pupils are well prepared for public examinations, they also develop a lifelong love of learning, a sense of curiosity and the ability to work independently.
Pupils have a wide range of extra-curricular activities to choose from, meaning life outside of the classroom is vibrant and rewarding. Available clubs include the Diplomacy Club, Comic Book Club and Film Club. If a pupil has an idea for a club, they are encouraged to set it up with help from a staff member.
Excellent pastoral care is at the heart of school life. The school community is warm and respectful, meaning pupils feel safe and can thrive. Every pupil belongs to a tutor group and to one of the school’s six houses, creating a sense of belonging. It also means pupils have a tutor and housemaster whom they get to know well and can turn to for support and guidance.
Please read on for information about the admissions process for entry to Year 7 at MCS.
Magdalen College School, Oxford: Contact Details and Year 7 (11+) Entry Admissions Process
School Details for Magdalen College School
Address: Cowley Place, Oxford, OX4 1DZ
County: Oxfordshire
Admissions info: [email protected] or 01865 242191
School type: Independent day school for boys aged 7-18, with a co-educational Sixth Form
Open events: Throughout the year
Entrance exam date: January of Year 6
Entrance exam: Online Quest assessments and creative writing paper (Stage One), interview for selected candidates (Stage Two)
Admissions Process for 11 Plus Entry to Magdalen College School
MCS recognises that choosing a school for your son is an important decision. For this reason, they warmly invite you to attend as many open events as you wish, giving you the opportunity to get to know MCS and determine whether it is the right school for your son. A Whole School Open Day is held in September, Open Afternoons each term and a Taster Evening in October. Please note that you do need to book.
The next step is to complete the online registration form, which must be submitted by the end of October, when your son is in Year 6. There is a registration fee of £180 for UK-based applicants. If you are based overseas, it is £300.
Once you have registered, MCS will request a reference from your son’s current school and ask you for details about your son’s hobbies.
In January of Year 6, your son will sit Magdalen College School’s 11+ exam, which is Stage One of the admissions process. It comprises the following:
- Session One: An online Quest assessment
- Session Two: A creative writing paper
- Session Three: An online Quest assessment
There will be breaks between the sessions. Your son will also have lunch at the school and participate in an activities session that is not part of the admissions process.
Selected candidates will return to the school later in January for Stage Two: a 30-minute interview.
You will learn in February whether your son has secured a place. If he has and you want to accept it, you must do so by the early-March deadline. You must complete the acceptance forms and pay the £1,500 deposit if you reside in the UK (£2,500 if you reside overseas).
Magdalen College School, Oxford: Scholarships, Awards and Bursaries for Year 7 Entry
Scholarships and Awards
The following scholarships and awards are available for Year 7 entry:
- Academic Scholarships
- Academic Exhibitions
- All-Rounder Awards
- Governors’ Presentation Awards
They are all awarded based on performance in the 11+ entrance exams, meaning there are no separate application forms to complete. They do not carry any fee reduction.
Bursaries
Bursaries are means-tested awards that cover up to 100% of the school’s fees. They enable gifted candidates whose families cannot afford the full fees to attend MCS. You must indicate on your registration form if you intend to apply for a bursary. You will then receive a bursary application form to complete by the early-November deadline.
Your financial circumstances will be assessed by Bursary Assessment Associates before a decision is made. If your household income exceeds £110,000, you own more than one property or have more than £10,000 in savings, you are unlikely to be eligible for a bursary.
For more detailed information, please read the MCS’s Financial Assistance with Fees Policy.
Magdalen College School, Oxford: Online Quest Assessments for Year 7 Entry
Stage One of the admissions process comprises three sessions. The second session is the school’s creative writing paper. The first and third sessions are online Quest assessments. They are as follows:
Session One
Maths: This module will last for 20 minutes. It will cover what your son has been taught at school up until the end of Year 5. He will need to apply his mathematical knowledge and use his reasoning skills. Topics covered can be place value, arithmetic, fractions, percentages, decimals, measurement, properties of shapes, position and direction, and statistics.
Non-Verbal Reasoning: This module will last for 10 minutes. It will assess your son’s ability to solve problems that use visual information, such as pictures, shapes and diagrams. Spatial awareness is crucial for these questions.
Verbal Reasoning: This module will last for 10 minutes. It will assess your son’s ability to solve problems using written information. A wide vocabulary, strong logical thinking and the ability to spot patterns will prove invaluable.
All of the modules in Session One are adaptive. If your son answers questions correctly, the questions will become more difficult. If he answers incorrectly, they will get easier. This means that Session One will find the difficulty level that is right for him, keeping him motivated. Once he submits an answer, he cannot change it.
Session Three
English: This module will last for 30 minutes. It will include a fictional passage that your son must read. He will then answer questions on the passage to demonstrate how well he understood it. To excel, he must be proficient at extracting information, making inferences and deducing the author’s intent. There will also be questions testing the standard of his spelling, punctuation and grammar, as well as the maturity of his vocabulary.
Puzzles and Problem Solving: This module will last for 15 minutes. It will require your son to solve interactive puzzles using his maths skills and logical reasoning. He will need to stay focused and work through challenges that may require multiple steps.
Creative Comprehension: This module will last for 20 minutes. It will comprise a few sources that share one theme. Your son must interpret each source and be able to make connections between them.
All of the modules in Session Three are non-adaptive, meaning your son will answer the same questions as all the other candidates; however, some candidates will complete more questions than others. Your son can go back and change his answers in these modules.
It can be difficult to know how to prepare for a competitive entrance exam, which is why we have compiled some tips for you in the next section.
How to Help Your Son Prepare for the Magdalen College School, Oxford, Year 7 Online Quest Assessments
If your son feels confident and ready for Magdalen College School’s 11+ online Quest assessments, he will be in a strong position to perform well. We hope the following tips for the preparation process are helpful:
- Read: Encourage your son to read a wide variety of texts. This will develop his vocabulary and improve his spelling, punctuation and grammar. Ask him questions about what he has read so that he learns to think deeply about characters, events and ideas.
- Revise: Go over key topics in maths and English, especially anything your son finds tricky. Regular short sessions are much better than last-minute cramming, and condensing notes into bite-sized pieces can make revision feel more manageable.
- Relax: Ensure your son has plenty of time to relax and do activities that he enjoys. It is important that exam preparation does not become overwhelming or stressful. If he is well-rested and calm, his study sessions will be more effective, and his brain will have time to assimilate what he has learnt.
- Play: You can play games with your son to develop his skills. Scrabble is a great way to broaden his vocabulary, and chess is a fantastic way to develop reasoning skills and concentration.
- Practise: You can use our MCS online Quest practice tests so that your son becomes familiar with what to expect in the actual assessments. This will remove any fear of the unknown. Also, your son can use the answers and explanations provided to learn from any mistakes he makes. By the time the assessment day arrives, he will be adept at answering questions quickly and accurately while under time pressure.
Our highly researched and recommended resources are outlined below.
Magdalen College School, Oxford: 11 Plus (11+)/Year 7 Online Quest Practice Tests
Magdalen College School 11+ Online Practice Test
Our Magdalen College School 11+ Online Entrance Assessment Practice Tests provide realistic and highly accurate preparation for the actual exam. Each full mock test replicates the modules, timings and question types used in the real assessment, ensuring your child becomes familiar with the format and expectations. Covering Maths, English, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, Puzzles & Problem Solving and Creative Comprehension, these tests are all pitched at the same difficulty level, allowing you to benchmark your child’s progress, track improvement and identify key areas for further practice.
Magdalen College School 11+ Practice Test 1
Magdalen College School 11+ Practice Test 2
Magdalen College School 11+ Practice Test 3
Magdalen College School 11+ Practice Test 4
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11+ Magdalen College School Practice Tests Bundle
Magdalen College School 11+ Skill Practice
Our Skill Practice exercises are designed to focus on one specific question type that will come up in the Magdalen College School 11+ exam. They are ideal for targeted practice and an efficient way to quickly improve your child’s scores in the relevant topic.
Magdalen College School 11+ Mathematics
Magdalen College School 11+ Creative Comprehension Pack 1
Magdalen College School 11+ Creative Comprehension Pack 2
Magdalen College School 11+ Puzzles & Problem Solving Pack 1
Magdalen College School 11+ Puzzles & Problem Solving Pack 2
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If you have any questions about our 11+ exam practice materials or require guidance, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help your son succeed in his 11+ online Quest assessments for entry to Magdalen College School.
The information in this post was believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware that there could be future changes. We advise you to contact the school directly if you are unsure of anything. School contact details are provided within the post.
Please note that Pretest Plus is an independent publisher of practice tests and not affiliated with or endorsed by the publishers of the Quest online assessments or any other test publisher.
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