[UK Boarding Schools: Remember this "Quality Certification" when choosing a school—HMC]

Choosing a restaurant with a Michelin star, buying diamonds with GIA certification—these are criteria we consider for quality. Did you know that UK boarding schools have their own "diamond-level" certification? It's called the Headmasters' Conference (HMC).

What is HMC?

Let's go back over 200 years to Uppingham School, a private school in the UK. The then-headmaster, Edward Thring, proposed a groundbreaking idea in the education field. He wanted to bring together the headmasters of all the good schools in the UK to discuss educational philosophies and share the most effective teaching methods. This idea took hold and gave birth to the first Headmasters' Conference (HMC). The inaugural conference had 13 headmasters from prestigious boarding schools, such as Bromsgrove, Oakham, Repton, Sherborne, Tonbridge, and the host school, Uppingham. Since then, the annual HMC conferences have continued. Today, there are 296 member schools in HMC, where educators can exchange the latest educational perspectives and select the best practices. So why does HMC represent "quality"? Let's analyse it based on several key concerns for Hong Kong parents:

Nurturing Excellence

In terms of academic achievement, last year, over two-thirds of students studying in HMC schools achieved A/7 or A* grades in their GCSE or IGCSE exams. 6.4% of students achieved 3 or more A* grades, which is more than three times the national average. More than half of HMC students obtained A or A* grades, nearly doubling the national average. HMC schools also excel in IB results, with one-third of students achieving 39 points or above. With such outstanding results, students who receive education at HMC schools are on their way to top universities.

Balancing Academics and Extracurricular Activities

While academics are important, "whole-person education" should not be neglected. HMC member schools allocate 5 to 6 hours per week for sports and extracurricular activities. They emphasise a balanced approach between academics and extracurriculars to cultivate students' study habits and the ability to balance learning and life. For example, Shrewsbury School, one of the HMC members, offers a glider training camp where students have the opportunity to pilot gliders and truly soar to new heights. Therefore, for most graduates of HMC schools, they have already gained extensive experience and skills, excelling in both academic and non-academic domains.

Enhanced Student Support

Most private schools adopt small-class teaching, with class sizes usually ranging from 12 to 15 students. HMC member schools have even more intimate teacher-student ratios, as low as 1:9. This means teachers can provide more individual attention to each student, ensuring that no student is overlooked. Some HMC schools even offer one-on-one tutoring. For example, Bryanston School assigns each new student a dedicated tutor before their enrollment, responsible for overseeing their academic progress and extracurricular life.

Contributing to Educational Development

In addition to the aforementioned key points, HMC schools make a broader contribution to educational development. They consistently gather to discuss influential and forward-thinking topics that impact students. For instance, in the 2018 conference, they discussed "Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality in Education," while in 2017, they explored "Considering School and Family from a Parent's Perspective: New Ways of Collaboration," and in 2016, they examined "The Role of Mental Health Education in Schools." These discussions continuously stimulate reflection on national and international educational issues, leading to progress.

Considering all these objective factors, HMC holds a certain position in the minds of UK parents. Increasingly, international students are also considering HMC membership as one of the fundamental criteria when choosing a school. If a school is an HMC member, it signifies that the curriculum quality and teaching staff have "diamond-level certification"—a mark of excellence!