Magdalen College School in east Oxford has revealed that a third of last year’s leavers are now studying at universities ranked among the world’s top 10, according to newly released data.

More than 50 pupils at the school in Cowley Place (53 out of 156 – 33%) from the 2025 cohort took up places at institutions featured in the top 10 of the QS World University Rankings 2027:

• 2nd place: Imperial College London (11 MCS pupils, 2025)

• 4th place: University of Oxford (8)

• 5th place: Harvard University (1)

• 6th place: University of Cambridge (17)

• 8th place: University College London (16)

This success looks set to continue, with pupils in the 2026 cohort having already secured offers from Oxford and Cambridge, alongside a range of leading overseas universities, including Ivy League institutions in the United States.

The QS rankings provide an independent assessment of universities worldwide and are widely regarded as one of the leading measures of higher education excellence.

A place in the top 10 is highly sought after, reflecting outstanding performance across a range of measures including research and discovery, employability and outcomes, international engagement, and sustainability.

Pupils at Magdalen College School (Image: MCS/Andrew Walmsley)

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) topped the latest rankings.

Four of the world’s top 10 universities are based in the UK, with the remainder located in the United States, Switzerland and Singapore.

Peter McDonald, director of higher education, said: “We work closely with our pupils to help them secure places at some of the best universities in the world, and it is wonderful to see so many of our leavers thriving at institutions of the highest calibre.

“These destinations reflect not only academic excellence, but also the ambition and commitment shown by our pupils throughout their time at MCS.

“We are immensely proud of all they have achieved and look forward to following their future successes.”

Magdalen College School 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.

While there has been a co-educational sixth form at the school for 15 years, the school announced earlier this year it will become fully co-educational over the coming decade.

The transition will be a gradual one. The school in Cowley Place will welcome girls into Year 3 and Year 4 in September 2027, and Year 7 in September 2030 – joining the existing cohort of sixth form girls.

The school was founded in 1480 as a ‘song school’ and department of Magdalen College, and continues to educate the 16 boy choristers of Magdalen Chapel Choir.

Master of Magdalen College School Helen Pike (Image: MCS/Andrew Walmsley)

Helen Pike announced earlier this year that she has decided to step down as Master at the end of the 2026/27 academic year, and the recruitment process for her replacement is now under way.

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.

Former pupils at the school include Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Saint Thomas More, Sir Tim Hunt (Nobel Prize Winner), film director Sam Mendes, and top actor Jonathan Bailey.

Wet bulb temperatures offer valuable insights into atmospheric moisture and human comfort levels.

It plays a vital role in climate monitoring and helps explain the impact of humidity on daily life.

One of the most traditional and widely used measures of humidity is the wet bulb temperature.

The Met Office say: “This value provides insight into how saturated the air is and is essential for calculating other humidity-related variables such as relative humidity and dew point temperature.”

What is a wet bulb temperature?

Measured using a thermometer wrapped in a damp muslin wick, wet bulb temperature represents the lowest temperature achievable through evaporative cooling.

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Extreme heat across parts of England and Wales

Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 June

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— Met Office (@metoffice) June 20, 2026

The reading drops as water evaporates from the wick, drawing heat from the thermometer. This cooling continues until the air becomes saturated and can absorb no more moisture.

On foggy mornings or in fully saturated air, wet bulb temperature matches the dry bulb temperature—the actual air temperature.

In all other conditions, the wet bulb reading is lower.

The underlying principle is simple: evaporation requires energy.

Water vapour draws heat from the surrounding air and thermometer, leading to a cooler reading.

The larger the gap between dry bulb and wet bulb temperatures, the drier the air.

When there is no difference, the air is fully saturated and evaporation stops.

Traditionally, wet bulb temperature is measured using a psychrometer—an instrument with paired dry and wet bulb thermometers.

However, most modern weather stations no longer use this classic setup.

“Instead, they rely on two separate thermometers housed in a Stevenson screen: one dry bulb (measuring air temperature) and one wet bulb (wrapped in a moist wick connected to a water reservoir).”

Air moves over both thermometers, allowing evaporation from the wet bulb and resulting in evaporative cooling.

The dry bulb remains unchanged.

The temperature difference helps meteorologists calculate relative humidity and other important humidity metrics.

Modern technology has introduced capacitive sensors to the process.

These sensors measure humidity by detecting voltage changes caused by varying amounts of water vapour in the air.

Readings are then converted into relative humidity or dew point values, providing an automated and more precise method of measurement.

Wet bulb temperature is closely tied to other indicators, such as dew point temperature—the point at which air becomes saturated and moisture begins to condense.

On cool mornings, this is seen as dew forming on grass.

If the dew point or wet bulb temperature equals the air temperature, relative humidity is 100 per cent.

Both values are critical for understanding atmospheric moisture.

They enable meteorologists to assess the likelihood of rain, fog, or heat stress for people and animals.

The Met Office added: “Wet bulb temperature remains a fundamental tool in meteorology for assessing humidity and its effects on weather, climate, and human health.

“Whether measured using traditional psychrometers or advanced sensors, it provides valuable insights into atmospheric conditions.

“By understanding and monitoring wet bulb temperatures, the Met Office continues to deliver accurate forecasts and support public safety across a wide range of sectors.”

Are you looking forward to the heatwave or dreading it? Let us know in the comments

According to the Met Office, the sweltering heat could last until at least Thursday, sparking weather warnings and concerns for vulnerable people.

Forecasters have said there is “growing confidence” that this week could break the record for the hottest June temperature of 35.6°C, which was set in 1976 in Southampton.

In Oxfordshire, towns and villages, along with Oxford itself, are set to be between 34°C and 36°C throughout this week, with Thursday set to be the spike.

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The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned people to expect significant impacts across health and social care services, along with a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions.

The extreme heat could also bring disruptions to rail, road and air travel, with the possibility of some tarmac melting, according to the Met Office.

On Monday, National Rail advised travellers to check their journeys in advance, allow for extra time, and to carry water.

Over the coming days, humid conditions are forecast alongside potentially tropical nights, when the overnight temperature does not fall below 20°C, making it feel “muggier” than last month’s heatwave, the weather service said.

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For Monday, central southern England could see highs of up to 34°C, with the temperature set to climb to 37°C on Tuesday in southern England and south-east Wales, Met Office meteorologist Simon Partridge said.

“Then Wednesday and Thursday, both 38°C, but there’s potential for it to go higher, and then by Friday, coming down a little bit, so we’ll see 33°C, and then it should ease off into the weekend but still stay quite warm, even into next week, although it won’t be anywhere near as warm as this week,” he added.

An extreme amber heat warning has been issued by the Met Office from Monday until Thursday, flagging potential health impacts for people vulnerable to extreme heat and heat-related issues for the wider population, as well as a possible increase in water safety incidents.

Monday and Tuesday’s warning covers most of southern England, central and eastern Wales, and much of the Midlands, while Wednesday and Thursday’s alert also include parts of Greater Manchester, Yorkshire and Cheshire.

People in the alert area are advised to drink plenty of fluids, keep out of the sun, and avoid exercising between 11am and 3pm, the weather service said.

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Mr Partridge said: “It’s a very unusual, very rare spell of very hot weather, so it’s one of those ones where people should take care, try to keep their houses as cool as possible, check in on those that are vulnerable, so the very young and very old, in particular, are more vulnerable to extreme heat.

“But everybody will feel this because it will be very hot and the overnight temperatures, in particular, will mean that people won’t be getting as much sleep, probably, as they would usually do, so it will affect everyone.

“There’s also potential for impacts to transport as well.

“We know that when things get very warm, there can sometimes be issues with railway lines, and even the possibility that some roads might not be doing too well.

“If it gets too warm, you may even see a little bit of tarmac melting at times.”

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The hottest temperatures are expected in areas between Bristol and London and south of the M4, with most of England and Wales set to hit more than 30C this week, he said.

Separate amber heat health alerts have been issued by the UKHSA, which now cover most of England from Monday morning until Friday night.

A UKHSA yellow heat alert is also in place for the North East of England during the same period.

Last summer was the hottest on record for the UK, with a mean temperature of 16.1°C between the start of June and the end of August, according to the Met Office.

The previous record was held by summer 2018, followed by 2006, 2003, 2022 and 1976.