Moving to Oxford and seeking schools advice

[wellthereisthat]

Hello, we are moving to Oxford in summer 2019 and would appreciate any recommendations/insights on schools for an academically inclined 12 year old boy. Applying to MCS and Abingdon, but other recommendations very welcome. Thanks!

Both are excellent schools at the top end of the academic range. No obvious alternatives spring to mind for boys (seems to be more choice for girls for some reason) but can’t go far wrong with these two

Thanks very much. Yes, I have been floundering a bit finding backup choices.

Don’t know anything about Leckford place. St Edwards is an excellent school too but is co Ed and very much a boarding school with associated long days and Saturday school which you may or may not want. OLA is also co Ed and although a day school is no comparison academically (or in extra curricular) to Magdalen Abingdon. Agree Cherwell is an excellent co Ed state school alternative

Cokethorpe?

DD4 was offered a place in the current round for sixth form at MCS. She and I both found everyone therethat we dealt with incredibly friendly, with the teachers leading the interviews at at the induction extremely approachable.

Typing too quickly again: with the teachers leading the interviews and at the induction etc.

That is very good to hear. In addition to our son's search for a school, our daughter is looking at sixth forms and loved her visit to MCS. Also considering OHS and SHSK. Views very welcome indeed!

I really appreciate everyone's help.

Given the Oxford traffic and if they are both high achieving academically, from a logistics point of view, you may want to go for the very popular St Helens/Abingdon combination (they have joint buses covering a lot of Oxfordshire) or both at Magdalen.

Mcs has a particular character which some love but not all - they will know when they visit.

If you want slightly less academic more rounded co Ed boarding school option then st Edwards is a good bet

I would say it depends where you will be living. In Oxford then MCS for both, out of Oxford go to Abingdon and ST Helens.
Your dc are obviously very clever or you wouldn't be considering the schools you are, so I would think you would be fine. Good luck.
Just remember Oxford traffic is awful.

It does make a great deal of sense either to go with MCS for both or Abingdon/St Helens, doesn't it? And yes, Oxford traffic is awful -- I was a student years ago and thought it was bad then. How very wrong I was.
Now if my dc can just get the appropriate offers!

I think Headington School also well worth a look for girls, though if she has her heart set on mcs she probably won't go for it.

Definitely looking at Headington School now, thanks.

Extra curricular choice at Abingdon is breathtakingly good. Check out the Other Half programme. Curriculum choice is also wider than MCS. Our two at or starting at Abingdon and SHSK. Travel nightmares ruled out the Oxford schools, which I’d happily have conisdered if we lived in mid or North Oxford.