Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference

The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC), formerly known as the Headmasters' Conference and now branded HMC (The Heads' Conference), is an association of the head teachers of 351 private fee-charging schools (both boarding schools and day schools), some traditionally described as public schools. 302 members are based in the United Kingdom, Crown dependencies and the Republic of Ireland.[1] There are 49 international members (mostly from the Commonwealth) and also 28 associate or affiliate members who are head teachers of state schools or other influential individuals in the world of education, who endorse and support the work of HMC.

Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
AbbreviationHMC
Formation1869; 155 years ago (1869)
TypeNon-governmental organisation
PurposeEducational accreditation
HeadquartersMarket Harborough
Location
Region served
Commonwealth and The Republic of Ireland
Membership
351 full members (including international)
General Secretary
Simon Hyde
AffiliationsISC
Websitehmc.org.uk

History

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The Conference dates from 1869 when Edward Thring, Headmaster of Uppingham School, asked sixty of his fellow headmasters[2][3] to meet at his house to consider the formation of a "School Society and Annual Conference".[4] Fourteen accepted the invitation,[2] and twelve were present for the whole of the initial meeting: Edward Thring, George Blore (Bromsgrove School), Albert Wratislaw (Bury St Edmunds), John Mitchinson (The King's School, Canterbury), William Grignon (Felsted School), Robert Sanderson (Lancing College), George Butler (Liverpool College), Augustus Jessopp (Norwich School), William Wood (Oakham School), Steuart Pears (Repton School), T. H. Stokoe (Richmond), Daniel Harper (Sherborne School), and James Welldon (Tonbridge School). John Dyne (Highgate School) attended on the second day, and Alfred Carver (Dulwich College) did not turn up.[5][6] From that date there have been annual meetings.

Until the 1970s, membership was confined to 200 schools.[citation needed] In 1996, the association changed its name from the "Headmasters' Conference" to the "Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference".[6] In 2023, the name was changed to HMC (The Heads' Conference).[citation needed]

Membership of the HMC is often considered to be what defines a school as a public school in England and Wales.[7][8] Not all independent schools are in the HMC; in particular, many notable girls' schools are not members, partly because historically the HMC was for boys' schools only.[citation needed] In 2005, the association opened membership to heads of girls-only schools. Today HMC's membership includes boys', girls' and co-educational schools.

List of HMC member schools

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The following are the member schools, listed with their Head (Headmaster or Headmistress). In some schools other titles are used, such as "Head Master", "High Master", "Warden", "Rector" and "Principal". An up-to-date list of schools whose Heads are members of HMC can be found on the association's website.

England

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Scotland

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Wales

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Northern Ireland

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Guernsey

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Jersey

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Isle of Man

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Republic of Ireland

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International members

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Africa

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Asia

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Australia and New Zealand

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Central, North and South America

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Continental Europe

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Middle East

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Associates

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Former Members

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HMC Projects in Central and Eastern Europe

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HMC Projects in Central and Eastern Europe is a charity offering opportunities for students and young teachers from Central and Eastern Europe to develop themselves, by coming to HMC member schools in the UK for a year.[citation needed]

Chairs of the HMC

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Chairmen of the Headmasters' Conference

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The following are the Chairmen of the HMC until 1996.[40]

Chairs of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference

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The following are the Chairs of the HMC after 1996.[40]

<*> Change to Academic Year Chairmanship

Chairs of the HMC Committee

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The following were Chairmen of the HMC Committee in the early years of the Conference.[40] In these years they served alongside the Chairman of the Conference (the 'annual meeting') until, in 1921, it was agreed that the Chairman of the Annual Meeting should always also be Chairman of the HMC Committee.

  • G Ridding, Head Master, Winchester College, 1870, 1871, 1872
  • Daniel Harper, Head Master, Sherborne School, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878
  • G C Bell, Master, Marlborough College, 1879, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1885, 1886, 1887
  • T W Jex-Blake, Head Master, Rugby School, 1880
  • E C Wickham, Head Master, Wellington College, 1884, 1888
  • E Warre, Head Master, Eton College, 1889, 1893
  • W A Fearon, Head Master, Winchester College, 1891, 1895
  • E Lyttelton, Headmaster, Haileybury, 1898, 1902, 1904
  • H W Moss, Headmaster, Shrewsbury School, 1900
  • J Gow, Head Master, Westminster School, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1911
  • R Cary Gilson, Chief Master, King Edward's School, Birmingham, 1909, 1910
  • F Fletcher, Head Master, Charterhouse, 1913
  • C Lowry, Headmaster, Tonbridge School, 1916

Chairs of the HMC by Institution

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Institution Year of First Chairmanship Total Years as Chair
Winchester College 1873 15
Eton College 1879 14
Charterhouse 1886 12
Rugby School 1876 11
Shrewsbury School 1898 11
King Edward's School, Birmingham 1872 7
Haileybury 1897 5
The Manchester Grammar School 1953 5
Wellington College 1881 5
Sherborne School 1870 4
St Paul's School, London 1969 4
Westminster School 1912 4
Dulwich College 1874 3
Magdalen College School 1907 3
Marlborough College 1877 3
Merchant Taylors' School 1892 3
University College School 1882 3
Ampleforth College 1975 2
Berkhamsted School (Formerly

Berkhamsted Collegiate School)

2005 2
George Watson's College 1976 2
Harrow School 1878 2
Leicester Grammar School 2015–16 2
Malvern College 1906 2
Monkton Combe School 1963 2
Tonbridge School 1902 2
Uppingham School 1869 2
Ashford School 2016–17 1
Bolton School 1978 1
Bradfield College 1900 1
Bradford Grammar School 1988 1
Bristol Grammar School 1970 1
Bryanston School 2000 1
Canford School 1989 1
Christ's Hospital 1904 1
City of London School 2010–11 1
Clifton College 1875 1
Daniel Stewart's and Melville College 1998 1
Dean Close School 2008-9 1
Forest School 2006 1
Guildford High School 2019-20 1
Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School 1985 1
Highgate School 1871 1
King's College School, Wimbledon 1972 1
Lancing College 1980 1
The Leys School 1909 1
Norwich School 2001 1
The Perse School 2007 1
Portsmouth Grammar School 1996 1
Reading Blue Coat School 1913 1
Reigate Grammar School 2018-19 1
St Albans School 2009–10 1
Trinity School of John Whitgift 1993 1
Wolverhampton Grammar School 2007-8 1

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Leading Independent Schools, HMC. "About Us". www.hmc.org.uk.
  2. ^ a b Leinster-Mackay, Donald P. The educational world of Edward Thring: a centenary study, Falmer Press, 1987, ISBN 1-85000-253-3, ISBN 978-1-85000-253-6. p. 100
  3. ^ Other sources including some Headmasters' Conference papers say "Uppingham asked thirty-seven of his fellow headmasters ..." (Headmasters' Conference. Independent Schools Yearbook: Official book of reference at the Headmasters' Conference ..., A & C Black, 1987 p. xlv)
  4. ^ The Public and Preparatory Schools Year Book. Adam & Charles Black. 1968. p. 3.
  5. ^ Leinster-Mackay, Donald P. (1987). The Educational World of Edward Thring: A Centenary Study. Falmer Press. p. 100. ISBN 978-1-85000-253-6.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Schools, Great Britain Board of Education Committee on Public; Schools, Great Britain Committee on Public (1944). The Public Schools and the General Educational System: Report of the Committee on Public Schools Appointed by the President of the Board of Education in July 1942. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 29.
  7. ^ Halpin, Tony Halpin. "Public schools plead to be let off fines over fee fixing". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  8. ^ Public Schools: Memorandum by the Sectary of State for Education and Science (PDF), 19 November 1965, p. 1, archived from the original (PDF) on 12 December 2019, retrieved 12 April 2013
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "HMC Schools Directory(A)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  10. ^ "A new Headmaster, a new chapter". AKS Lytham Website. Archived from the original on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa "HMC Schools Directory(B)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  12. ^ "Box Hill School".
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z "HMC Schools Directory(C)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i "HMC Schools Directory(D)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "HMC Schools Directory(E)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g "HMC Schools Directory(F)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "HMC Schools Directory(G)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "HMC Schools Directory(H)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  19. ^ "HMC Schools Directory(H)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  20. ^ a b c "HMC Schools Directory(I)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  21. ^ a b "HMC Schools Directory(J)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w "HMC Schools Directory(K)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  23. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "HMC Schools Directory(L)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "HMC Schools Directory(M)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  25. ^ a b c d e f g "HMC Schools Directory(N)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  26. ^ a b c d e "HMC Schools Directory(O)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  27. ^ a b c d e f g h "HMC Schools Directory(P)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  28. ^ a b c d e "HMC Schools Directory(Q)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  29. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v "HMC Schools Directory(R)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  30. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq "HMC Schools Directory(S)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  31. ^ a b c d e "HMC Schools Directory(T)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  32. ^ @HMC_Org (23 June 2022). "We are delighted to welcome David Boyd, Head at @TormeadSchool into full membership of @HMC_Org . @TormeadHead" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  33. ^ a b "HMC Schools Directory(U)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  34. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "HMC Schools Directory(W)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  35. ^ "Winchester College - HMC". HMC. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  36. ^ "HMC Schools Directory(Y)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  37. ^ "HMC Schools Directory(V)". Hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  38. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at "HMC International Schools". hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  39. ^ a b c d e f g h "HMC Associates List". hmc.org.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  40. ^ a b c "Member Zone Login" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 July 2015.
  41. ^ Wilby, Peter (13 June 2017). "Elite private headteacher: 'The children we educate will create a fairer society'". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
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