HMC Autumn Conference Resources 2025

Please click here to view a copy of the Opening Address delivered by HMC Chair, Philip Britton MBE.

For images from the HMC International Day 2025, please see here.
For images from the HMC Autumn Conference 2025, please see here.

The session videos are for members’ internal use only. Please do not share videos externally. Any requests to share video content can be directed to [email protected] in the first instance.

Conference Welcome
Dr Simon Hyde, Chief Executive, HMC
View the session here. 

Chair’s Opening Address
Philip Britton MBE, HMC Chair 2025-26 and Head of Foundation, Bolton School
See interview here.
View the session here.

Keynote 1: Success Always Comes Second
Gavin Horgan, Headmaster, Millfield School and James Guy, Olympic Swimmer
See interview here.
View the session here.

Keynote 2: ‘Geeks like us’ How music and creativity thrive in our Schools and how we protect and nurture talent
Nicola Smith and Tom Redmond, Joint Principals, Chetham’s School of Music
See interview here.
View the session here.

Keynote 3: Transformational change in ancient institutions
The Rt. Hon. Sir Ernest Ryder, Master of Pembroke College, Oxford
See interview here.
View the session here.

Panel Session: Solutions, not problems: independent schools for the national good
Ali Henderson, Chief Executive Officer, Royal National Children’s SpringBoard Foundation, Pete Kirkbride, Chief Education Officer, E-ACT, John Roberts, Founder and CEO, AO World and Dr Carl Ward, Founder and Chair, Foundation for Education Development (FED)
See interview here.
View the session here.

Launch of IDPE report – Fundraising futures: Transforming UK schools’ philanthropy
Lou Bennett, CEO, The Institute of Development Professionals in Education (IDPE)
View the session here. 

Keynote 4: Leading with Learning in Mind: Putting the “Education” in Educational Leadership
Jim Heal, Professor of Evidence-Informed Educational Leadership at the Academica University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam & Co-Founder of Learning Science Partners
See interview here. 
View the session here. 

Keynote 5: The heat of the moment: a firefighter’s story of life and death decisions
Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, Chief Fire Officer, Neuroscientist and Author
See interview here.
View the session here. 

Closing Remarks
Philip Britton MBE, HMC Chair 2025-26 and Head of Foundation, Bolton School
View the session here. 

Visit HMC’s LinkedIn profile and the hashtags to see more content as it continues to come through: #HMCConf25 #HMCInternationalDay25

See a collection of social media posts relating to the HMC International Day and Autumn Conference below:

International Day

Autumn Conference

Presentations from the HMC Autumn Conference 2025 (all content is for members’ internal use only. Please do not share this content externally. Any requests to share content on this page can be directed to [email protected] in the first instance).

Presentations from keynote sessions:

• International session 3: Doing the right thing – the development of character
  Jonny Huntington, Polar Explorer and Endurance Athlete
  See presentation here. 
• International session 5: HMC’s satellite schools abroad – an update on developments
  Leigh Webb, CEO, ISC Research 
  See presentation here. 
• Conference Welcome – Dr Simon Hyde, Chief Executive, HMC.
  See presentation here.
• Keynote 1: Success Always Comes Second
  Gavin Horgan, Headmaster, Millfield School and James Guy, Olympic Swimmer
  See presentation here.
• Keynote 2:  ‘Geeks like us’ How music and creativity thrive in our Schools and how we protect and nurture talent
  Nicola Smith and Tom Redmond, Joint Principals, Chetham’s School of Music
  See presentation here.
• Launch of IDPE report – Fundraising futures: Transforming UK schools’ philanthropy
  Lou Bennett, CEO, The Institute of Development Professionals in Education (IDPE)
  See presentation here.
  View the report here.
• Keynote 4: Leading with Learning in Mind: Putting the “Education” in Educational Leadership
  Jim Heal, Professor of Evidence-Informed Educational Leadership at the Academica University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam & Co-Founder of Learning Science Partners
  See presentation here.
• International session 6: Doing the right thing – 5 examples of good practice 
  Led by Mark Steed.
  • Update on the Gippsland project (Craig Considine, Tanglin Trust School)
    See presentation here. 
  • Partnerships (Nigel Brown, The English College in Prague & John Knight, St George’s British International School, Rome)
    See presentation here. 
  • Balancing professional growth with accountability systems and strategy (Maryssa O’Connor, GEMS Wellington, Dubai)
    See presentation here. 
  • Student leadership model (Garry Russell, Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong)
    See presentation here. 
  • FutureSchool FlexEd, Hybrid and AI (Kai Vacher, British School, Muscat and Mark Steed)
    See presentation here.

Presentations from workshop sessions:

• Cracking the Code: Preparing for ISI in an Unclear Landscape
  See presentation here. 
• Artificial Intelligence in Schools: what does emerging ‘good practice’ look like?
  See presentation here and here and here.
• Leading in Partnership: Empowering Your Director of Sport to Deliver Impact
  See presentation here.
• Pathways to Purpose: Developing and Retaining Passionate Educators
  See presentation here. 
• Reform of Assessment: The story so far and next steps
  See presentation here. 

Presentations from CPD Seminar sessions:

• Rugby in our schools – tackling the future together. 
  Neil Rollings, ICE Education and Steve Grainger, Executive Director of Rugby Development at Rugby Football Union
  See presentation here.
• Working with teaching unions and union recognition agreements, including how unions can help you and your school. 
  Carl Parker, Head of Industrial Relations, ASCL
  See presentation here.
• From Risk to Readiness: Implementing an AI framework for your school. 
  Alex Russell, CEO Bourne Education Trust (‘BET’) and Richard Alton, Head of Digital Education, Epsom College
  See presentation here. 
• Developing educational partnership with international franchise schools. 
  Martin Collier, Educational Consultant
  See presentation here. 
• Employment Law Update: What independent schools need to focus on now.
  David Eastwood, Head of Team & Solicitor, WorkNest
  See presentation here.
• Creating Deeper, Meaningful Partnerships – Helping 100% of Children to Thrive. 
  Pete Kirkbride, Chief Education Officer, E-ACT
  See presentation here. 
• Crisis-ready: leading with confidence in challenging times.
  Miriam Rich MCIPR, Director, Miriam Rich Associates Limited
  See presentation here. 
• Unlocking your school’s fundraising potential. 
  Lou Bennett, CEO, IDPE; Amanda Scott, Executive Director, Latymer Foundation at Hammersmith, Latymer Upper School and Susan Wijeratna, Head, Latymer Upper School
  See presentation here.
• Creating inclusive environments: the role of school leaders. 
  Yasmina Koné, Hemisphere Education; Alan Bird, Head, City of London; Bradley Salisbury, Head, Dean Close School; and Naimh Green, Head, Roedean School
  See presentation here.
• Teacher pay- your largest stand alone cost- how to reward and incentivise staff through pay structures which reflect your vision. Rhiannon Cutler, Founder, Baines Cutler
  See presentation here.
• How independent schools and their associations are doing the right thing across the globe. 
  Anand Mahadevan, Executive Director, Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS).
  See presentation here. 
  Debra Forsyth, CEO, British Schools in the Middle East (BSME).
  See presentation here. 
  John Gwyn Jones MBE, CEO, Federation of British International Schools in Asia (FOBISIA).
  See presentation here. 
  Tim Middleton, Executive Director, ATS (Association of Trust Schools) in Zimbabwe.
  See presentation here. 
• Leading with Insight: Understanding Personality to Build High-Performing Teams. 
  Clare Barnett, Managing Director and Founder of Synergia Coaching
  See presentation here. 
• Strategic Opportunities for HMC Schools: Restructuring, Mergers and Collaborations.
  Barney Northover, Partner, VWV and Siân Champkin, Partner, VWV
  See presentation here. 
• Game On or Game Over? Supporting Adolescent Digital Wellbeing in a Connected World. 
  Arabella Northey, Head of Partnerships and Communications, SEQRD Technology
  See presentation here. 
• One in four parents will first discover your school via social media; the power of marketing in 2025. 
  Oliver Smith, CEO, Admissions, Marketing and Communications in Independent Schools (AMCIS), Alex Hutchinson, Head, James Allen’s Girls’ School and Victoria Deadman Gatt, Group Director of Marketing, Admissions and Engagement at the Royal Russell School
  See presentation here. 

Presentations and Videos from Fringe Events:

• AIDOS Protects Presentation
• AIDOS Protects App Screen Recording

At this year’s Autumn Conference, members were invited to showcase innovative ideas and share them with one another through the creation of an academic poster. Around the poster gallery there was a real sense of members comparing ideas, finding new approaches and wishing to share some of those innovations back in their schools. We are pleased to share copies of the posters in a digital book which may be accessed here.