Magdalen College School, Oxford Costs

[pushG]

My DS has been offered a place at MCS for the Yr-7 starting in Sep 2014. Whilst we know how much the fees, hot meal costs and transport costs be, I was wondering if any parents who's DSs are currently studying at MCS (senior school) could guide us re expenses that they incur over and above the fees, for example on school trips and others.

We manage on limited means and would have to think hard before we finally decide to send our son to the school and knowing an estimate of what would be the all-in financial obligation will help us in the process.

I'm afraid I only know the school from the outside. It would certainly be a shame if you had to turn such a coveted place down.

Did you not apply for a bursary, or are you enquiring only about additional costs after that?

I would imagine it is similar to most private schools and entirely up to the parent. My sons have music scholarships (different school) so do quite a bit of music which is £200 per instrument per term for the individual lesson but plenty don't learn. It's up to you.

Most of the boys this year are doing a bronze Duke of Edinburgh award with a few trips away and I think roughly the cost of that is about £500 although that is just this year and not all boys do it.

Mine never choose to go on any school trips (more fool them as I could afford it) so there are no costs of those. In most private schools some parents have less money than others so don't assume everyone will be doing loads of school trips, music lessons etc. Perhaps assume it might be about £500 a year as in our case there is usually a class trip once a year costing about £15 day trip to a museum of something and perhaps a school magazine to buy.

i don't think there's any harm in asking the school itself pushG about school trips and typical costs etc.

Worth every penny if your son is the right sort of person. My son has loved it, the staff are phenomenal.

I would be more concerned about any continuation of the 18% rise in tuition fees over the past three years, despite the school's claim that fees are kept as low as possible. Since Tim Hands arrived, the last two years of Junior School have been charged at the same rate as Senior School fees and annual increases have been as high as 8%. His policy has been to cram more pupils in and exploit the high demand for places at the school.

I was shocked how much the fees have gone up recently as well - it used to be a lot less than some other nearby schools, but the gap has closed dramatically. The increases at one school we know well have been about 3% a year, ish. I also heard that they took an extra year 7 class this year as well(?).

Hi PushG, Just wondering if your DS did take his place up at MCS and if so what the extra costs turned out to be--