Master

Magdalen College School (MCS) is seeking to appoint a new Master, following ten years of outstanding leadership by Helen Pike. The next Master will inherit a high-performing and confident school at an important and exciting moment in its history.

MCS is one of the UK’s most distinguished independent day schools, situated in the heart of Oxford. Founded in 1480 by William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellor of England, as a department of Magdalen College, the school remains closely connected to the College and the intellectual traditions of the University.

MCS is an academically ambitious school, educating around 950 pupils from age 7 to 18, across its Junior and Senior Schools and a large Sixth Form. Academic standards are exceptionally high, with outcomes that reflect depth of learning rather than a focus on exam preparation alone. The school is equally recognised for the breadth of the opportunities that it offers across music, sport, drama and co‑curricular life. Partnerships with a wide range of schools in the maintained sector, and an extensive range of community service programmes are both important features of the life of MCS. Pastoral care is a particular strength, and the school is characterised by a culture that inspires pupils to learn, flourish and serve. MCS has a deep commitment to widening access through bursary provision, reflecting the school’s founding principle of seeking to educate talented young people from all backgrounds. The culture of philanthropy that has been established by the current Master is an important element in the school’s strategic plan.

In February 2026, MCS announced that it will move towards full co‑education, starting in September 2027, building on more than fifteen years of successful co‑education in the Sixth Form, and becoming fully co-educational in 2034. This sits alongside a strong strategic vision. In addition to its local partnership activities, MCS has so far established two partnership agreements with education providers in Malaysia and Thailand. Plans are already in place for a new Science, Library and Partnerships Building, starting in 2028, with the ambition to have the building operational by the 550th anniversary in 2030.

Reporting to the Board of Governors, the Master will provide clear, thoughtful and collegiate leadership, safeguarding the school’s distinctive ethos while guiding its continued evolution. The successful candidate will be an outstanding educationalist with a strong track record of senior leadership, intellectual authority, sound judgement and a genuine resonance with the values and ambitions of Magdalen College School.

A candidate brief can be downloaded below. 

Closing date: 09.00 BST, Friday 15 May 2026

Magdalen College School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.