Magdaln College School Oxford

[KathyQ]

Has anyone else found that the school is remorselessly competitive and focussed entirely on their league table position?

We had some friends who a number of years ago moved to the UK and sent their DS there. They were appalled by its the obsession with league tables etc. even then so sent him back to their own country too school because it was more relaxed. He went onto Harvard so the move didn't do him any harm.
Sadly in this day and age I think you'll find that most of the top academic schools are "remorselessly competitive and focussed entirely on their league table position" whatever they may claim publicly. They are all jostling for the top position made worse by the fact that so many schools who are few years ago were not even within a shout of the top few places are now snapping at their heals.
Look at it from the schools point of view; Oxford is a very expensive place to live I suspect many parents feel that if their bright DS can achieve the same results in a less well known independent school maybe get a scholarship with a bursary attached and in a less expensive area then they why live in or around Oxford and send him to Magdalen? It has to offer something that their local independent doesn't that's going to have to be even better exam results and a higher % of Oxbridge entry.
I understand completely where your coming from but I'm afraid this is the reality.