MCS Junior School Founders Day: Monday 15th June

Monday 15^th June sees the Junior School mark Founders Day, one of the most important events in our calendar. Believing in the power of education, our founder, William Waynflete’s vision was to provide opportunity for those who might not otherwise have had access to learning. It is therefore fitting that on this day we shall be raising money for Mustardseed, a junior school in Uganda founded by one of our Old Waynfletes, John Caird.

Our connection with Mustardseed remains a close and dear one. In previous years, members of the school have visited MCS to consult with teaching staff and soak up the benefits that an education here at Magdalen has to offer. Colleagues in our Junior School have likewise spent time mentoring and consulting with those in Uganda, and our boys, too, have been proactive in nourishing this partnership. Letters, Christmas cards and warm wishes have all been exchanged by pupils of both junior schools across recent times, and the JS desire to support those at Mustardseed is shared as much by boys as members of staff.  

In this spirit, and following pupil consultation, we seek to use next Monday’s Founder’s Day celebrations as an opportunity to raise money for Mustardseed school. Pupils will therefore be off timetable for the morning, seeking to complete a carousel of six sponsored challenges alongside other members of their house. Each challenge is linked to the theme of ‘1480’ (the year of our establishment) and will require pupils to develop the broader skillsets of critical thinking, teamwork, physical coordination and analysis. Since some of these challenges will be of a sporting nature, we ask that all pupils come into school that day in their PE kit and tracksuit.

We are also encouraging pupils to consider undertaking a meaningful activity at home with the broad theme of ‘1480’ in mind. This is very much open to individual creativity, with academic, sporting or artistic enterprises all possible for boys to undertake under parental encouragement and guidance. Any amount raised by such an endeavour would be invaluable in helping us reach our ambitious collective target of £1,480 - and we would love to hear just what the boys have been up to!

Donations, no matter how small, always go an extraordinarily long way in Uganda. Any amount our community might be able to sponsor pupils with would be most gratefully appreciated.