Magdalen College School is a modern secondary school, which converted to Academy status in 2013. It is situated across two sites known locally as ‘top’ and ‘bottom’ site.

In 1973 Magdalen College School (bottom site) merged with Brackley Secondary Modern (top site) and Brackley Girls Grammar School (now Southfields Primary School) to form one large comprehensive school.

Magdalen College School is situated on the medieval site of the Hospital of St. James and St. John, founded around 1150 by Robert le Bossu, Earl of Leicester. The hospital, where the school chapel is now, was established to look after the local poor with a chapel, hospital and graveyard.

In 1484, William Waynflete acquired the hospital from Frances, Lord Lovell, an associate of King Richard III. This became part of Magdalen College, Oxford. By 1548 there was a permanent school at the site. There is evidence, however, that lessons may have been taught there as early as 1485 despite it not being listed as a school at that point. When Waynflete purchased the site originally, it was to provide a refuge for the pupils of Magdalen College Oxford to escape the plague that was ravaging England and most major populous centres such as Oxford.

Many of the school buildings are listed, including the school chapel, the earliest datable parts of which are late 12th century. The chapel underwent a major restoration around 1869-1870 by Buckeridge. It is constructed of stone rubble and is the oldest school chapel still in use in England. It remains in regular use by the school, Church of England and local community.