It’s not every day that alumni return to their old school and are met with jaw-dropping changes—but that’s exactly what happened at Magdalen College School in Brackley, Northamptonshire.
Former pupils have expressed outrage after discovering that the school had thrown out an entire library of books, leaving them questioning the institution’s commitment to education.
Oliver Lewis, a former pupil and ex-Reform UK candidate, recounted his experience during a visit to help with an interview day.
“I walked into the VI Form Centre and my immediate reaction was, ‘Wow, this feels spacious—where did all the books go?’” he said.
He was told by a staff member that “we don’t need books anymore—everything’s online now.”
To his dismay, the reality was that the entire library had been dumped into a skip.
A Library Once Full of Knowledge
For Mr. Lewis, the removal of the books hit close to home.
“The library was actually quite good and comprehensive—I had personally donated many books to the economics, history, and politics sections,” he explained.
“The idea that we don’t need books anymore is for the fairies. Advanced-level subjects still require proper materials.”
He added that it’s almost unimaginable to picture other prestigious schools, like Magdalen College School in Oxford or the Royal Latin School, discarding their collections in such a manner.
He questioned how students would cope when moving on to universities like the LSE, where they would face mountains of books and rigorous study expectations.
“What are high-achieving pupils supposed to do if they arrive and have books thrown at them by the tonne?”
State of the School Grounds and Facilities
Mr. Lewis didn’t hold back about the physical state of the school either.
One of Magdalen’s two sites, he said, was “an embarrassing mess” with uncut hedges, unpollarded trees, and brambles growing everywhere.
This, he argued, is symptomatic of larger issues in the way comprehensive education has been managed since reforms began in the 1960s, including the crackdown on grammar schools.
History of Magdalen College School, Brackley
Magdalen College School has a long history dating back to 1548.
Originally a grammar school, it merged with two nearby schools in 1973 to form a comprehensive school, later taking on academy status around 40 years ago.
Despite its unique sponsorship from Oxford University, Mr. Lewis believes the school has struggled to meet its full potential.
“If a school like Magdalen, with support from an Oxford college, can’t make comprehensive education work, what hope is there for the rest?” he said.
Notable alumni include Asda chairman and former Royal Mail non-executive chairman Allan Leighton, as well as the Right Reverend Michael Ipgrave, Bishop of Lichfield.
Ofsted Criticism and Special Measures
The school was first placed in special measures in June last year following a critical Ofsted inspection.
A follow-up inspection last October reinforced that decision, with inspector Jayne Ashman noting that the school had “made insufficient progress to improve” and strongly recommending it should avoid hiring early-career teachers.
While staff turnover, a new visitor-management system, and heightened awareness of student attendance were implemented, Ashman highlighted that safeguarding arrangements were still “not effective” and that staff lacked accurate information about students’ starting points and learning gaps.
This led to underachievement, which the report warned needed urgent attention.
School’s Response and Future Plans
In response to last year’s Ofsted report, the school issued a statement emphasizing their commitment to improvement.
“We fully accept Ofsted’s findings and understand the seriousness of the issues raised,” the statement read.
“While this is a disappointing outcome for our school community, it is also an opportunity for deep reflection and renewed focus.
Our students deserve the very best, and we are absolutely committed to transforming the school and delivering the high-quality education every child deserves.”
