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.
Quick Facts Abbreviation, Formation ...
Close
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.
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
- The Abbey School, Reading[9] — William Le Fleming
- Abingdon School[9] — Mike J. Windsor
- Ackworth School[9] — Anton Maree
- ACS International School Cobham,[9] — Barnaby Sandow
- AKS Lytham[9] — David Harrow[10]
- Aldenham School[9] — James Fowler
- Alleyn's School[9] — Jane Lunnon
- Ampleforth College[9] — Peter Roberts
- Ardingly College[9] — Ben Figgis
- Ashford School[9] — Michael Hall
- Ashville College[9] — Rhiannon Wilkinson
- Bablake and King Henry VIII School[11] — Andrew Wright
- Badminton School — Rebecca Tear
- Bancroft's School[11] — Simon R.J. Marshall
- Barnard Castle School[11] — Anthony C. Jackson
- Bedales School[11] — Will Goldsmith
- Bede's School[11] — Peter Goodyer
- Bedford School[11] — James Hodgson
- Bedford Modern School[11] — Alex N. J. Tate
- Benenden School[11] — Samantha Price
- Berkhamsted School[11] — Richard Backhouse
- Birkdale School[11] — Peter Harris
- Birkenhead School[11] — Paul Vicars
- Bishop's Stortford College[11] — Kathy Crewe-Read
- Bloxham School[11] — Paul Sanderson
- Blundell's School[11] — Bart Wielenga
- Bolton School[11] — Philip Britton
- Bootham School[11] — Christopher P. Jeffery
- Box Hill School[12] — Hayley Robinson
- Bradfield College[11] — Christopher Stevens
- Bradford Grammar School[11] — Simon Hinchliffe
- Brentwood School[11] — Michael Bond
- Brighton College[11] — Richard Cairns
- Bristol Grammar School[11] — Jaideep Barot
- Bromley High School[11] — Angela Drew
- Bromsgrove School[11] — Peter Clague
- Bryanston School[11] — Richard Jones
- The Bury Grammar Schools[11] — Joanne Anderson
- Canford School[13] — Ben Vessey
- Caterham School[13] — Ceri Jones
- Charterhouse[13] — Alex Peterken
- Cheadle Hulme School[13] — Neil Smith
- Cheltenham College[13] — Nicola Huggett
- The Cheltenham Ladies' College[13] — Eve Jardine-Young
- Chetham's School of Music[13] — Nicola Smith
- Chigwell School[13] — Michael Punt
- Christ's Hospital[13] — Simon H. C. Reid
- Churcher's College[13] — Simon H. Williams
- City of London Freemen's School[13] — Roland Martin
- City of London School[13] — Alan Bird
- City of London School for Girls[13] — Jenny A. Brown
- Claremont Fan Court School[13] — William Brierly
- Clayesmore School[13] — Joanne Thomson
- Clifton College[13] — Tim Greene
- Cokethorpe School[13] — Damian Ettinger
- Colfe's School[13] — Richard Russell
- Collegiate School[13] — Jeremy McCullough
- Cranleigh School[13] — Martin S. Reader
- Culford School[13] — Julian Johnson-Munday
- Dame Allan's Schools[14] — Will Scott
- Dauntsey's School[14] — Mark J. Lascelles
- Dean Close School[14] — Emma L. C. Taylor
- Denstone College[14] — Lotte Tulloch
- Downe House School[14] — Emma McKendrick
- Downside School — Andrew Hobbs
- Dulwich College[14] — Joseph A.F. Spence
- Durham School[14] — Kieran McLaughlin
- Eastbourne College[15] — Tom Lawson
- Edgbaston High School[15] — Clare Marco
- Ellesmere College[15] — Brendan J. Wignall
- Eltham College[15] — Guy R. Sanderson
- Emanuel School[15] — Robert S. Milne
- Epsom College[15] — Mark Lascelles
- Eton College[15] — Simon Henderson
- Exeter School[15] — Louise Simpson
- Felsted School[6][16] — Christopher Townsend
- Forest School[16] — Marcus Cliff Hodges
- Framlingham College[16] — J. Louise M. North
- Francis Holland, Regent's Park[16] — Charles Fillingham
- Francis Holland, Sloane Square[16] — Lucy Elphinstone
- Frensham Heights School[16] — Rick Clarke
- Giggleswick School[17] — Sam Hart
- Godolphin School[17] — Emma J.F. Hattersley
- The Godolphin and Latymer School[17] — Frances M. Ramsey
- The Grammar School at Leeds[17] A merger between the all-boys Leeds Grammar School (HMC member) and Leeds Girls' High School — Sue Woodroofe
- The Grange School[17] — Lorraine Earps
- Gresham's School[17] — Douglas Robb
- Guildford High School[17] — Fiona J. Boulton
- Haberdashers' Boys' School[18] — Gus R. Lock
- Haileybury[18] — Martin Collier
- Halliford School[18] — James Davies
- Hampton School[18] — Kevin Knibbs
- Harrow School[18] — W. M. Alastair Land
- Hereford Cathedral School[18] — Michael Gray
- Highgate School[18] — Adam S. Pettitt
- Hill House School[19] — David Holland
- Hurstpierpoint College[18] — Tim Manly
- Hymers College[18] — Justin Stanley
- Ibstock Place School[20] — Chris Wolsey
- Immanuel College[20] — Millan Sachania
- Ipswich School[20] — Nicholas J. Weaver
- James Allen's Girls' School[21] — Alex Hutchinson
- The John Lyon School[21] — Katherine E. Haynes
- Kent College[22] — Mark Turnbull
- Kent College, Pembury[22] — Julie Lodrick
- Kimbolton School[22] — Will Chuter
- King Edward VI School, Southampton[22] — Neal Parker
- King Edward's School, Bath[22] — Martin J. Boden
- King Edward's School, Birmingham[22] — Katy Ricks
- King Edward's School, Witley[22] — Joanna Wright
- King's Bruton[22] — Ian S. Wilmhurst
- King's College, Taunton[22] — Richard R. Biggs
- King's College School[22] — Anne Cotton
- The King's School, Canterbury[6][22] — Peter J.M. Roberts
- The King's School, Chester[22] — George Hartley
- King's Ely[22] — John Attwater
- The King's School, Gloucester[22] — David C. A. Morton
- The King's School, Macclesfield[22] — Jason Slack
- King's Rochester[22] — Ben Charles
- King William's College, Isle of Man — Joss Buchanan
- The King's School, Worcester[22] — Gareth Doodes
- Kingston Grammar School[22] — Stephen Lehec
- Kingswood School[22] — Andrew Gordon-Brown
- Kirkham Grammar School[22] — Daniel Berry
- Lady Eleanor Holles School[6][23] — Heather Hanbury
- Lancing College[6][23] — Dominic Oliver
- Langley School[23] — Jon E. Perriss
- Latymer Upper School[23] — David Goodhew
- Leicester Grammar School[23] — John W. Watson
- Leighton Park School[23] — Matthew L. S. Judd
- The Leys School[23] — Martin J. Priestley
- Lincoln Minster School[23] — Maria Young
- Lingfield College[23] — Richard W. Bool
- Lord Wandsworth College[23] — Adam Williams
- Loughborough Grammar School[23] — Christopher Barnett
- Magdalen College School[24] — Helen Pike
- Malvern College[24] — Keith Metcalfe
- The Manchester Grammar School[24] — Martin A. Boulton
- Marlborough College[24] — Louise Moelwyn-Hughes
- Merchant Taylors' Boys' School, Crosby[24] — David J. Wickes
- Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood[24] — Simon Everson
- Millfield[24] — Gavin Horgan
- The Mill Hill School Foundation[24] — Antony Spencer
- Monkton Combe School[24] — Chris Wheeler
- Moreton Hall[24] — George Budd
- Mount Kelly[24] — Guy Ayling
- Mount St Mary's College[24] — Daniel Wright
- New Hall School[6][25] — Katherine A. Jeffrey
- Newcastle High School for Girls[25] — Michael Tippett
- Newcastle-under-Lyme School[25] — Michael Getty
- Newcastle upon Tyne Royal Grammar School[25] — Geoffrey Stanford
- Norwich School[6][25] — Steffan Griffiths
- Norwich High School for Girls — Alison Sefton
- Nottingham High School[25] — Kevin D. Fear
- Notting Hill & Ealing High School[25] — Matthew R.C. Shoults
- Oakham School[6][26] — Henry W.F. Price
- Oldham Hulme Grammar School[26] — Craig J.D. Mairs
- The Oratory School[26] — Joseph J. Smith
- Oswestry School[26] — Lyndsay Lang
- Oundle School[26] — Sarah Kerr-Dineen
- Pangbourne College[27] — Thomas J.C. Garnier
- The Perse School[27] — Edward C. Elliott
- Plymouth College[27] — Jo Hayward
- Pocklington School[27] — Toby Seth
- Portsmouth Grammar School — David Wickes
- Princethorpe College[27] — Ed D. Hester
- Prior Park College[27] — Ben J.C. Horan
- Putteridge High School[27] – David Graham
- Putney High School[27] — Suzie K. Longstaff
- Queen Anne's School[28] — Julia Harrington
- Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield[28] — Richard Brookes
- Queen Elizabeth's Hospital[28] — Rupert Heathcote
- Queen's College[28] — Julian Noad
- Queenswood[28] — Jo Cameron
- Radley College[29] — John S. Moule
- Ratcliffe College[29] — Jonathan P. Reddin
- Reading Blue Coat School[29] — Peter Thomas
- Reed's School[29] — Mark W. Hoskins
- Redmaids' High School — Paul Dwyer
- Reigate Grammar School[29] — Shaun A. Fenton
- Rendcomb College[29] — Robert T. Jones
- Repton School[6][29] — Mark Semmence
- Rossall School[29] — Jeremy A. Quartermain
- Roedean School[29] — Oliver Blond
- Royal Grammar School, Guildford[29] — Jonathan M. Cox
- RGS Worcester[29] — John D.C. Pitt
- Royal High School, Bath[29] — Kate Reynolds
- The Royal Hospital School[29] — Simon Lockyer
- The Royal Masonic School for Girls[29] — Kevin Carson
- Royal Russell School[29] — Christopher J. Hutchinson
- Rugby School[29] — Peter R.A. Green
- Ryde School with Upper Chine[29] — William Turner
- St Albans School[30] — Jonathan W.J. Gillespie
- St Albans High School for Girls[30] — Amber Waite
- St Bede's College[30] — Sandra Pike
- St Benedict's School[30] — Andrew Johnson
- St Columba's College, St Albans[30] — David R. Buxton
- St Dunstan's College[30] — Nicholas P. Hewlett
- St Edmund's College[30] — Matthew Mostyn
- St Edmund's School[30] — Edward G. O'Connor
- St Edward's School, Oxford[30] — Alistair Chirnside
- St George's College, Weybridge[30] — Rachel Owens
- St Helen and St Katharine[30] — Rebecca J. Dougall
- St John's School, Leatherhead[30] — Rowena Cole
- St Lawrence College[30] — Barney Durrant
- St Mary's Calne[30] — Felicia Kirk
- St Mary's College[30] — Michael A. Kennedy
- St Mary's School Ascot[30] — Danuta Staunton
- St Paul's Girls' School[30] — Sarah K. Fletcher
- St Paul's School[30] — Sally-Anne Huang
- St Peter's School[30] — Jeremy M. P. Walker
- St Swithun's School[30] — Jane S. Gandee
- Scarborough College — Guy Emmett
- Seaford College[30] — John Green
- Sedbergh School[30] — Dan Harrison
- Sevenoaks School[30] — Jesse Elzinga
- Sherborne School[6][30] — Dominic A. Luckett
- Sherborne Girls[6][30] — Ruth M. S. Sullivan
- Shiplake College[30] — Tyrone Howe
- Shrewsbury School[30] — Leo Winkley
- Sidcot School[30] — Iain Kilpatrick
- Sir William Perkins's School[30] — Debbie Picton
- Solihull School[30] — Charles Fillingham
- South Hampstead High School[30] — Victoria Bingham
- Stamford Endowed Schools[30] — Will M. Phelan
- The Stephen Perse Foundation[30] — Richard Girvan
- Stockport Grammar School[30] — Paul M. Owen
- Stonyhurst College[30] — John R. Browne
- Stowe School[30] — Anthony K. Wallersteiner
- Streatham and Clapham High School — Cathy Ellott
- Surbiton High School[30] — Rebecca Glover
- Sutton Valence School[30] — James Thomas
- Taunton School[31] — Lee C. Glaser
- Tonbridge School[6][31] — James E. Priory
- Tormead School[32] — David Boyd
- Tranby School[18] — Alexandra Wilson
- Trent College[31] — Bill J. Penty
- Trinity School[31] — Alasdair J. Kennedy
- Truro School[31] — Andrew Johnson
- University College School[33] — Mark J. Beard
- Uppingham School[6][33] — Richard J. Maloney
- Warminster School[34] — Matt R. Williams
- Warwick Schools Foundation — Richard Nicholson
- Wellingborough School[34] — Andrew Holman
- Wellington College[34] — James Dahl
- Wellington School[34] — Eugene A. du Toit
- Wells Cathedral School[34] — Alastair Tighe
- West Buckland School[34] — Phillip Stapleton
- Westminster School[34] — Gary Savage
- Whitgift School[34] — Chris D. Ramsey
- Winchester College[35] — Elizabeth Stone
- Wimbledon High School[34] — Fionnuala Kennedy
- Wisbech Grammar School[34] — Chris Staley
- Withington Girls' School[34] — Sarah Haslam
- Woldingham School[34] — James Whitehead
- Wolverhampton Grammar School[34] — Alex Frazer
- Woodbridge School[34] — Shona Norman
- Woodhouse Grove School[34] — James Lockwood
- Worksop College[34] — John Price
- Worth School[34] — Stuart McPherson
- Wrekin College[34] — Tim Firth
- Wycliffe College[34] — Nick Gregory
- Wycombe Abbey[34] — Jo F. Duncan
- Yarm School[36] — P. Huw Williams
Asia
- The British School, New Delhi, India[38] — Vanita Uppal
- British School Jakarta, Indonesia[38] — David N. Butcher
- The Cathedral & John Connon School, Mumbai, India[38] — Meera Isaacs
- The Doon School, Dehradun, India[38] — Dr Jagpreet Singh
- Harrow International School Bangkok — Jonathan Standen
- Harrow International School, Hong Kong[38] — Ann Haydon
- The International School Bangalore, India[38] — Dr Caroline Pascoe
- Jerudong International School, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam[38] — Nicholas E. Sheehan
- Kellett School, The British International School in Hong Kong[38] — Mark S. Steed
- Kolej Tuanku Ja'afar, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia[38] — Glenn Moodie
- Marlborough College, Malaysia[38] — Alan D. Stevens
- Shrewsbury International School, Bangkok, Thailand[38] — Chris P. Seal
- Tanglin Trust School, Singapore[38] — Craig Considine
Australia and New Zealand
- Anglican Church Grammar School, East Brisbane[38] — Alan Campbell
- Camberwell Grammar School, Balwyn, Victoria[38] — Paul Hicks
- The King's School, Parramatta, New South Wales[38] — Anthony L. George
- Methodist Ladies' College, Kew, Melbourne[38] — Diana C. Vernon
- Scotch College, Hawthorn, Victoria[38] — I. Tom Batty
- The Scots College, Bellevue Hill, New South Wales[38] — Ian P. M. Lambert
- St Leonard's College, Brighton East, Victoria[38] — Stuart Davis
- Christ's College, Christchurch, Canterbury
Central, North and South America
Continental Europe
- Aiglon College, Chesières, Switzerland[38] — Richard M. McDonald
- The British School of Amsterdam, The Netherlands[38] — Ruth Sanderson
- The British School of Barcelona, Spain[38] — Jonathan Locke
- The British School of Brussels, Tervuren, Belgium[38] — Melanie Warnes
- The British School of Milan, Italy[38] — Chris Greenhalgh
- The British School in the Netherlands, Voorschoten, The Netherlands[38] — Heath Monk
- Campion School, Pallini, Athens, Greece[38]— Mike Henderson
- The English College in Prague, Praha, Czech Republic[38] — Nigel Brown
- The English School, Nicosia, Cyprus[38] — David A. Lambon
- King's College, Soto de Viñuelas, Madrid, Spain[38] — Matthew Taylor
- St Catherine's British School, Athens, Greece[38] — Stuart Smith
- St George's, Rome — David P. Tongue
- St Julian's School, Quinta Nova, Portugal[38] — Paul Morgan
Middle East
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates[38] — Helen Wilkinson
- The British School – Al Khubairat, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates[38] — Mark Leppard
- British School Muscat, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman[38] — Kai Vacher
- Doha College, Doha, State of Qatar[38] — Steffen Sommer
- Dubai College, Dubai, United Arab Emirates[38] — Michael E. Lambert
- GEMS Wellington Academy, Dubai, United Arab Emirates[38] — Kevin Loft
- Jumeirah English Speaking School, Dubai, United Arab Emirates[38] — Shane O'Brien
- St Christopher's School, Isa Town, Kingdom of Bahrain[38] — Simon Watson
- Bangor Grammar School, Bangor, County Down[39] — Elizabeth Huddleson
- Bishop Wordsworth's School, Salisbury, Wiltshire[39] — Stuart Smallwood
- Gordon's School, Woking, Surrey[39] — Andrew Moss
- Methodist College Belfast, Belfast, County Antrim[39] — Scott Naismith
- Monmouth School for Girls, Monmouth, Monmouthshire[39] — Jessica Miles
- Pate's Grammar School, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire[39] — Russel Ellicott
- The Judd School, Tonbridge, Kent[39] — Jon Woods
- Wymondham College, Morley, Norfolk[39] — Dan Browning
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]
Chairmen of the Headmasters' Conference
The following are the Chairmen of the HMC until 1996.[40]
- Edward Thring, Headmaster, Uppingham School, 1869
- Daniel Harper, Head-master, Sherborne School, 1870
- John Dyne, Head Master, Highgate School, 1871
- A R Vardy, Chief Master, King Edward's School, Birmingham, 1872
- G Ridding, Head Master, Winchester College, 1873
- Alfred Carver, Master, Dulwich College, 1874
- John Percival, Headmaster, Clifton College, 1875
- T W Jex-Blake, Head Master, Rugby School, 1876
- G C Bell, Master, Marlborough College, 1877
- H M Butler, Head Master, Harrow School, 1878
- J J Hornby, Head Master, Eton College, 1879–80
- E C Wickham, Head Master, Wellington College, 1881
- H W Eve, Head Master, University College School, 1882–83
- E M Young, Head Master, Sherborne School, 1884–85
- W Haig Brown, Head Master, Charterhouse, 1886–87
- W A Fearon, Head Master, Winchester College, 1888–89
- E Warre, Head Master, Eton College, 1890–91
- L W Baker, Headmaster, Merchant Taylors' School, 1892–93
- E Warre, Head Master, Eton College, 1894–95
- H A James, Headmaster, Rugby School, 1896
- E Lyttelton, Headmaster, Haileybury, 1897
- H W Moss, Headmaster, Shrewsbury School, 1898–99
- Dr H B Gray, Head Master, Bradfield College, 1900
- H W Moss, Headmaster, Shrewsbury School, 1901
- C C Tancock, Headmaster, Tonbridge School, 1902
- E Lyttelton, Headmaster, Haileybury, 1903
- A W Upcott, Head Master, Christ's Hospital, 1904
- G Rendell, Head Master, Charterhouse, 1905
- S R James, Headmaster, Malvern College, 1906
- C E Brownrigg, Master, Magdalen College School, 1907
- R Arbuthnot Nairn, Head Master, Merchant Taylors' School, 1908
- W T A Barber, Headmaster, The Leys School, 1909
- E Lyttelton, Head Master, Eton College, 1910
- N C Smith, Head-master, Sherborne School, 1911
- J Gow, Head Master, Westminster School, 1912
- W C Eppstein, Headmaster, Reading Blue Coat School, 1913
- F Fletcher, Head Master, Charterhouse, 1914–15
- A A David, Headmaster, Rugby School, 1916–18
- F Fletcher, Head Master, Charterhouse, 1919
- A A David, Headmaster, Rugby School, 1920–21
- R Cary Gilson, Chief Master, King Edward's School, Birmingham, 1922
- F Fletcher, Head Master, Charterhouse, 1923
- Cyril Alington, Head Master, Eton College, 1924–25
- F Fletcher, Headmaster, Charterhouse, 1926–27
- R Cary Gilson, Chief Master, King Edward's School, Birmingham, 1928
- F. Fletcher, Headmaster, Charterhouse, 1929
- F B Malim, Master, Wellington College, 1930
- F Fletcher, Headmaster, Charterhouse, 1931
- F B Malim, Master, Wellington College, 1932
- D C Norwood, Head Master, Harrow School, 1933
- F Fletcher, Headmaster, Charterhouse, 1934
- F B Malim, Master, Wellington College, 1935
- H H Hardy, Headmaster, Shrewsbury School, 1936–38
- Spencer Leeson, Head Master, Winchester College, 1939–44
- J Wolfenden, Headmaster, Shrewsbury School, 1945
- J Wolfenden, Headmaster, Shrewsbury School, 1946
- H Lyon, Headmaster, Rugby School, 1947
- J Wolfenden, Headmaster, Shrewsbury School, 1948
- J Wolfenden, Headmaster, Shrewsbury School, 1949
- G C Turner, Headmaster, Charterhouse, 1950
- R Birley, Head Master, Eton College, 1951–52
- E James, High Master, The Manchester Grammar School, 1953–54
- Walter Hamilton, Headmaster, Westminster School, 1955–56
- R Birley, Head Master, Eton College, 1957–58
- Desmond Lee, Head Master, Winchester College, 1959–60
- C P C Smith, Headmaster, Haileybury, 1961–62
- D R Wigram, Headmaster, Monkton Combe School, 1963–64 and 1964–65
- Walter Hamilton, Headmaster, Rugby School, 1965–66
- Desmond Lee, Head Master, Winchester College, 1967
- D D Lindsay, Headmaster, Malvern College, 1968
- T E B Howarth, High Master, St Paul's School, 1969
- J MacKay, Headmaster, Bristol Grammar School, 1970
- A R D Wright, Headmaster, Shrewsbury School, 1971
- F H Shaw, Headmaster, King's College School, Wimbledon, 1972
- F F Fisher, Master, Wellington College, 1973
- Michael McCrum, Head Master, Eton College, 1974
- N P Barry, Headmaster, Ampleforth College, 1975
- R W Young, Principal, George Watson's College, 1976
- J M Rae, Headmaster, Westminster School, 1977
- David Baggley, Headmaster, Bolton School, 1978
- J S Woodhouse, Headmaster, Rugby School, 1979
- Ian Beer, Headmaster, Lancing College, 1980
- John Thorn, Head Master, Winchester College, 1981
- J W Hele, High Master, St Paul's School, 1982
- Roger Ellis, Master, Marlborough College, 1983
- David Emms, Master, Dulwich College, 1984
- B H McGowan, Headmaster, Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, 1985
- C H D Everett, Headmaster, Tonbridge School, 1986
- M J W Rogers, Headmaster, King Edward's School, Birmingham, 1987
- D A G Smith, Headmaster, Bradford Grammar School, 1988
- M M Marriott, Headmaster, Canford School, 1989
- D. J. Jewel], Master, Haileybury, 1990
- J. G. Parker, High Master, The Manchester Grammar School, 1991
- D. L. Milroy, Headmaster, Ampleforth College, 1992
- R. J. Wilson, Headmaster, Trinity School, 1993
- R. de C Chapman, Headmaster, Malvern College, 1994
- Hugh Wright, Chief Master, King Edward's School, Birmingham, 1995
- Anthony Evans, Headmaster, Portsmouth Grammar School, 1996
Chairs of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
The following are the Chairs of the HMC after 1996.[40]
- Michael Mavor, Headmaster, Rugby School, 1997
- Patrick Tobin, Principal, Stewart's Melville College, 1998
- James Sabben-Clare, Headmaster, Winchester College, 1999
- Tom Wheare, Headmaster, Bryanston School, 2000
- Chris Brown, Headmaster, Norwich School, 2001
- E. Gould, Master, Marlborough College, 2002
- G. Able, Master, Dulwich College, 2003
- Martin Stephen, High Master, The Manchester Grammar School/St Paul's School, 2004
- Priscilla Chadwick, Principal, Berkhamsted Collegiate School, 2005
- Andrew Boggis, Warden, Forest School, 2006
- Nigel Richardson, Headmaster, The Perse School, 2007 <*>
- Bernard Trafford, Headmaster, Wolverhampton Grammar School, 2007–2008
- Tim Hastie-Smith, Headmaster, Dean Close School, 2008–2009
- Andrew Grant, Headmaster, St Albans School, 2009–2010
- David Levin, Headmaster, City of London School, 2010–2011
- Kenneth Durham, Headmaster, University College School, 2011–2012
- Chris Ray, High Master, Manchester Grammar School, 2012–2013
- Tim Hands, Master, Magdalen College School, 2013–2014
- Richard Harman, Headmaster, Uppingham School, 2014–2015
- Christopher King, Headmaster, Leicester Grammar School, 2015–2016
- Mike Buchanan, Headmaster, Ashford School, 2016–2017
- Christopher King, Headmaster, Leicester Grammar School, 2017-2018
- Shaun Fenton, Headmaster, Reigate Grammar School, 2018–2019[41]
- Fiona Boulton, Headmistress, Guildford High School, 2019 -2020
- Sally-Anne Huang, High Master, St Paul's School, 2020-2021
- Richard Backhouse, Principal, Berkhamsted School, 2021-2022
- Melvyn Roffe, Principal, George Watson's College, 2022-2023
- Sue Woodroofe, Principal, The Grammar School at Leeds, 2023-2024
<*> Change to Academic Year Chairmanship
Chairs of the HMC Committee
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
More information Institution, Year of First Chairmanship ...
| 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 |
Close
Leading Independent Schools, HMC. "About Us". www.hmc.org.uk. 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)
