Oxford News
Full list of 117 school closures in Oxfordshire TODAY
The Met Office issued a red extreme heat warning for Oxfordshire and other parts of the southeast of England from 9am yesterday, Wednesday, June 24 until 9pm today, Thursday, June 25.
This comes as the record for the UK’s hottest June day was broken for a third time yesterday, with a temperature of 36°C breaking the previous record of 50 years.
The record was broken when provisional temperatures reached 36°C in Wisley, Surrey, and Gosport, Hampshire, today (Wednesday, June 24), the Met Office said.
It follows provisional temperatures reaching 35.7°C in Charlwood, Surrey, and 35.8°C at Wiggonholt, West Sussex, earlier on in the day.
READ MORE:
Oxfordshire schools closed TODAY (Thursday, June 25) in alphabetical order
Abbey Woods Academy
Status: Closed
Closure dates: Thursday, June 25
All Saints Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Ashbury With Compton Beauchamp Church of England Primary School
Status: Closed
Aureus Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Bardwell School
Status: Closed
Barley Hill Primary School
Status: Closed
Bartholomew School
Status: Part open
Bishopswood School
Status: Closed
Blessed George Napier Catholic School and Sixth Form
Status: Part open
Closure dates: closed to Years 7, 8 and 9
Bloxham Grove Academy
Status: Closed
Botley School
Status: Closed
Brightwell-Cum-Sotwell Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
Buckland Church of England Primary School
Status: Closed
Burford Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.10pm
Burford School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Caldecott Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 11.30am
Carterton Community College
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.15pm
Carterton Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Chalgrove Community Primary School
Status: Closed
Charlton Primary School
Status: Closed
Charlton-on-Otmoor Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Cheney School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.15pm
Chilton County Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Clanfield CofE Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.10pm
Clifton Hampden Church of England Primary School
Status: Closed
Combe CofE Primary School
Status: Closed
Cumnor Church of England School
Status: Closed
Cutteslowe Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
Dashwood Banbury Academy
Status: Closed
Didcot Girls’ School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.15pm
Drayton Community Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.10pm
Dry Sandford Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 11.30am
Ducklington Primary School
Status: Closed
Dunmore Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.10pm
Europa School UK
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Faringdon Community College
Status: Closed
Finstock Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Fitzharrys School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.10pm
Five Acres Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.15pm
Folly View Primary
Status: Closed
Frank Wise School
Status: Closed
Futures Institute Banbury
Status: Closed
Gagle Brook Primary School
Status: Closed
Gateway Primary School
Status: Closed
Gillotts School
Status: Closed
Glory Farm Primary School
Status: Closed
Graven Hill Primary School
Status: Closed
Great Milton Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
Grove Church of England School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 11am
Hagbourne Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Hailey Church of England Primary School
Status: Closed
Harriers Banbury Academy
Status: Closed
Harwell Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Heyford Park School
Status: Closed
Icknield Community College
Status: Closed
John Blandy Primary School
Status: Closed
John Watson School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
King Alfred’s
Status: Closed
King’s Meadow Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 11am
Ladygrove Park Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Langford Village Community Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.45pm
Larkmead School
Status: Closed
Launton Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Leafield Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
Lewknor Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Long Furlong Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
Long Wittenham (Church of England) Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Longfields Primary and Nursery School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 11.30am
Lord Williams’s School
Status: Closed
Mabel Prichard School
Status: Closed
Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge
Status: Closed
Manor Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Matthew Arnold School
Status: Closed
Meadowbrook College
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Middle Barton Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Mill Lane Community Primary School
Status: Closed
Millbrook Primary School
Status: Closed
Northern House Academy
Status: Part open for selected classes
Orion Academy
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Queen Emma’s Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Radley Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Rush Common School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
Shellingford Church of England (Voluntary Aided) School
Status: Closed
Shiplake Church of England School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Shrivenham Church of England School
Status: Closed
Sibford Gower Endowed Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
Slade Nursery School
Status: Closed
South Stoke Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.15pm
Southwold Primary School
Status: Closed
Springfield School
Status: Closed
St Amand’s Catholic Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.45pm
St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School, Chinnor
Status: Closed
St Barnabas’ Church of England Aided Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.15pm
St Christopher’s Church of England School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: early finish at 1.10pm
St Ebbe’s Church of England Aided Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.45pm
St Edmund’s Catholic Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
St Francis Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
St James Church of England Primary School, Hanney
Status: Closed
St John the Evangelist CofE VA Primary School
Status: Closed
St Mary’s Church of England (Aided) Primary School, Chipping Norton
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
St Nicholas CofE Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: 12pm
St Nicolas Church of England Primary School, Abingdon
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
St Swithun’s CofE Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Stadhampton Primary School
Status: Closed
Stephen Freeman Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Stockham Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 11.30am
Sunningwell Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.10pm
Sutton Courtenay Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Thameside Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 11.30am
The Bicester School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.10pm
The Cooper School
Status: Closed
The Elms Primary School
Status: Closed
The Henry Box School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 11.30am
The Iffley Academy
Status: Closed
The Marlborough Church of England School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.25pm
The Oxford Academy
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.35pm
The Swan School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 11.35am
The Warriner School
Status: Closed
Thomas Reade Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
Trinity Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12pm
Uffington Church of England Primary School
Status: Closed
Valley Road School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
Wantage Church of England Primary School
Status: Closed
Watchfield Primary School
Status: Closed
Watlington Primary School
Status: Closed
West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School
Status: Closed
West Oxford Community Primary School
Status: Closed
Wheatley Park School
Status: Closed
Whitelands Academy
Status: Closed
Willowcroft Community School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 12.30pm
Windmill Primary School
Status: Closed
Windrush Church of England Primary School
Status: Closed
Wolvercote Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.15pm
Wood Farm Primary School
Status: Closed
Woodstock Church of England Primary School
Status: Closed
Wootton St Peter’s Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1pm
Wychwood Church of England Primary School
Status: Part open
Closure dates: from 1.15pm
Wykham Park
Status: Closed
On Wednesday, September 2, it was the Concours judging and private viewings to dominate the agenda for the day.
Twelve Concours classes were held across almost a century of motoring, including The Golden Age of Motoring, 100 Years of Carrrozzeria Touring, La Dolce Vita, 60 Years of the Lamborghini Miura and Passione Ferrari.
Two new classes also made their debut for 2026, Rare Breeds of the Digital Age and Hypercar Heaven, which recognise the growing importance of contemporary performance cars within the international collector market.
Judging will take place across Wednesday and Thursday, with the show field bringing together a 70-strong collection of classics, supercars and hypercars from around the world.
Some of the cars include Aa Maserati 8C 3000, Alfa Romeo Sprint Berlinetta, a one-off Maserati 3500GT Spyder Prototipo by Vignale, a very early Porsche 356 Split Window Coupé, Aston Martin DB3S, Lamborghini Miura P400S, Bizzarrini 5300GT, Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet, Bugatti EB110 Prototype, Aston Martin Valiant Prototype and the extraordinary Bugatti Bolide, one of just 40 produced worldwide.
Helen Pike has decided to step down as Master of Magdalen College School at the end of the 2026/27 academic year, the school in east Oxford announced in March.
MCS is one of the top performing schools in the country, ranking in the top 20 independent secondary schools in The Sunday Times Parent Power Schools Guide 2026.
READ MORE: UK private school headteacher to leave after 11 years
The new academic year will start next week, with Ms Pike preparing for one more year in charge before she hands over to her successor, who will take over in September 2027.
The first female Master at MCS, Ms Pike guided the board of governors to one of the most significant decisions in the school’s history, to become fully co-educational from 2027.
While there has been a co-educational sixth form at the school for 15 years, the school last month announced it will become fully co-educational over the coming decade.
Ms Pike said earlier: “I love MCS, and it is a perennial privilege to lead this remarkable school.
“Being Master of MCS is a brilliant job, and I am declaring my intention early in order to give MCS the very best opportunity to find the right Master for September 2027. I shall continue to do all in my power to further the fortunes of this wonderful school until then.
“I look forward to a new phase in my own professional life, one that builds on all that I have enjoyed and achieved in my career during the past 30 years.
“Having encouraged many cohorts of pupils to take sensible risks and to do something creative and different when the time feels right, I am doing just that.”
During Ms Pike’s tenure, MCS has been recognised as a Top 20 Independent School and South East School of the Year by the Sunday Times and won Independent School of the Year for Social Mobility.
Thanking her in his letter to the school community, chair of governors, Bob Price, said earlier this year: “Helen is an outstanding leader and will go with our sincere gratitude and warm thanks for her exceptional headship.
“She will leave the school in excellent shape for her successor.”
Recruitment for a replacement for Ms Pike is now under way.
Last month, Ms Pike congratulated pupils on their “outstanding success” in this year’s A-Level exams, after more than a quarter of pupils (43) achieved three A*s or more and 25 secured all A*s.
In total, 39 pupils from the 2026 cohort are heading to Oxbridge, while 22 have secured places to study medicine.
As part of the school’s expansion plans, MCS is preparing to build a new Science, Library and Partnerships building.
A spokeswoman said the new building will offer an exciting opportunity to reimagine the senior school site as staff look ahead to full co-education.
She added earlier: “With a vision to create a sector-leading science building in the centre of Oxford, the development will enable us to support an ambitious and forward-looking science curriculum, expanding to the emerging and rapidly advancing areas of robotics, AI and Big Data.”
Holding banners which read ‘For f**k’s sake, just stop oil’, the demonstrators took to the road in Parliament Square at noon today (Wednesday, September 2).
This was as Andy Burnham faced his first Prime Minister’s Questions, and many of the protestors glued themselves to the road.
The group demanded that the UK government stop approving all further oil and gas developments, and sign a Fossil Fuel Treaty to stop oil and gas extraction.
READ MORE: Witney firefighters called out to over 50 incidents in one month
Just Stop Oil say that the police are expected to arrest all those blocking the road, and that one lane has been left free of glued-on action takers to permit access for emergency vehicles.
Andy Burnham is due to make a decision on whether to allow more drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea.
Reverend James Crote, a Baptist Minister and grandfather from Chesterton near Bicester, said: “Today is my grandson’s first birthday. I have to take action for the sake of his future.
The 69-year-old added: “The government has been dilly-dallying about whether to say yes or no to the Rosebank oil field but, if we want a future for our children, there is no choice – it has to say ‘no’.
READ MORE: Chain closes almost 200 UK restaurants with close to 4,000 jobs lost
“I am here as a Christian Minister because the Church has to speak out and demand that the government stops approving further oil and gas developments now. It’s time for us all to say ‘For God’s sake, Just Stop Oil’.”
Data from the Met Office indicates that 2026 was the hottest summer in UK recorded history, beating 2025, which was the previous hottest summer on record.
2026 was also one of the driest summers on record, delivering record-low food harvests.
Climbing temperatures have triggered wildfires across the country, and national fire chiefs said the wildfire risk facing the UK is “like nothing we have seen before”.
READ MORE: Broadchurch star selling £1.8m ‘magical’ Cotswolds mill house after 60 years
Taking action, grandmother Victoria Ann Lynch-Staunton from Leamington Spa, said: “What is happening is beyond a tragedy.”
The 71-year-old added: “I beg everyone to join Just Stop Oil or governments will continue to prioritise endless growth and corporate profit over billions of lives – yours and your children.
“Wake up and smell the coffin. It is the responsibility of all of us to act now!”
A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said today: “We are all Just Stop Oil.
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“Every single person who fears deadly wildfires, devastating droughts, and spiralling food shortages is Just Stop Oil.
“The first duty of government is to keep the public safe – but by greenlighting oil and gas drilling, they endanger our survival while corporates and billionaires laugh their way to the bank.
“Every one of us feels alone and powerless in the face of this insanity, but we know there is massive political and public support for our demand.
“So we’re inviting everyone to join us at an online call on 3rd October 2026 – because it’s when we work together that we are powerful and win.”
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