The Society of Heads, formerly the Society of Headmasters & Headmistresses of Independent Schools (SHHIS), or "S of H", is an association of circa 130 Headmasters and Headmistresses of various types of

private schools A private school or independent school is a school not administered or funded by the government, unlike a public school. Private schools are schools that are not dependent upon national or local government to finance their financial endowme ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, and was formed in 1961. Members include heads of single-sex and

co-educational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to ...

day and boarding

secondary schools A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., b ...

, specialist

music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...

dance Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

, and

performing arts The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which involve the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. P ...

schools, and

special school Special education (also known as special-needs education, aided education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, and SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates their individual d ...

s for children with learning difficulties. The association's headquarters are in

Market Harborough Market Harborough is a market town in the Harborough District, Harborough district of Leicestershire, England, close to the border with Northamptonshire. The population was 24,779 at the United Kingdom census, 2021, 2021 census. It is the ad ...

, in

Leicestershire Leicestershire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It is bordered by Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire to the north, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire to the south-east, Warw ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. Members of the Society usually have membership of the Association of School and College Leaders, with their schools usually having membership of the

Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools The Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools (AGBIS) is the supporting and advisory organisation for governing bodies of independent schools in the UK, and is a member of the Independent Schools Council. History The Association of G ...

. Some member girls' schools are also members of the

Girls' Schools Association The Girls' Schools Association (GSA) is a membership association for the heads of independent and state girls' schools in the United Kingdom. It is a constituent member of the Independent Schools Council (ISC), and works with the Association ...

. The Society itself is a constituent of the

Independent Schools Council The Independent Schools Council (ISC) is a non-profit lobby group that represents over 1,300 private schools in the United Kingdom. The organisation comprises seven independent school associations and promotes the business interests of its ...

Members

* Abbey Gate College *

Ackworth School Ackworth School is a private day and boarding school located in the village of High Ackworth, near Pontefract, West Yorkshire, England. It is one of seven Quaker schools in England. The school (or more accurately its Head) is a member of t ...

Abbotsholme School Abbotsholme School is a co-educational Private schools in the United Kingdom, private boarding school, boarding and day school. The school is situated on a 140-acre campus on the banks of the River Dove, Central England, River Dove in Derbyshir ...

Austin Friars Austin Friars is a coeducational private day school located in Carlisle, England. The Senior School provides secondary education for 350 boys and girls aged 11–18. There are 150 children aged 4–11 in the Junior School and the Nursery has pl ...

Battle Abbey School Battle Abbey School is a private coeducational day and boarding school in the small town of Battle, East Sussex, England. The senior school occupies part of the town's ruined abbey complex, and it is from here that the school derives its name. ...

* Bedstone College *

Berkhamsted School Berkhamsted School is a private day school (known in the UK as a public school), in the market town of Berkhamsted, in Hertfordshire, England. The present school was formed in 1997 by the amalgamation of the original Berkhamsted School, founded ...

* Bethany School * Birkdale School * Bishop Challoner School *

Bournemouth Collegiate School Bournemouth Collegiate School is a coeducational private day and boarding school based on two sites in Poole and Bournemouth, Dorset on the southern coast of England. The prep school (ages 2–11) is located in Poole and the senior school (ages ...

* Box Hill School * Bredon School *

Bristol Grammar School Bristol Grammar School (BGS) is a 4–18 Mixed-sex education, mixed, Private schools in the United Kingdom, private day school in Bristol, England. It was founded in 1532 by Royal Charter for the teaching of 'good manners and literature', endowe ...

* Burlington House School * City of London Freemen's School * Claremont Fan Court School *

Clayesmore School Clayesmore School is a co-educational Private schools in the United Kingdom, private school for pupils aged 8–18 years, in the village of Iwerne Minster, Dorset, England. It is both a day and boarding school and is a member of The Headmaster ...

* Clifton High School * Cokethorpe School * Concord College * Denstone College * Derby Grammar School * Derby High School *

Dover College Dover College is an independent day and boarding school in the English public school tradition located in Dover in south east England. It was founded in 1871, and takes both day pupils and boarders from the UK and internationally. The schoo ...

Dunottar School Dunottar School is a co-educational private secondary day school in Reigate, Surrey, England, established in 1926 as a girls' school. History The school was established in 1926 by Jessie Elliot-Pyle in Brownlow Road with three pupils, and was n ...

Elmhurst Ballet School Elmhurst Ballet School is an independent boarding school for professional classical ballet in the United Kingdom. It takes students aged 11–19 years who intend to pursue a career in professional classical ballet. Elmhurst provides a full acade ...

* Embley School * Farlington School * Farringtons School * Fulneck School *

Gateways School Harewood ( ) is a village, civil parish, former manor and ecclesiastical parish, in West Yorkshire, England, today in the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds. The civil parish population at the 2011 census was 3,734. Etymology The name ...

Halliford School Halliford School is a selective boys private day school, which also admits girls into its sixth form, in Lower Halliford, Shepperton, Surrey, England. The school is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC). The curren ...

Heathfield Knoll School Heathfield Knoll School and Nursery is a small, independent, non-denominational day school and nursery in Wolverley, near Kidderminster in Worcestershire, England, for boys and girls aged three months to 19 years. The school is a member of th ...

* Highclare School * Hill House School * Ipswich High School *

Kent College Kent College, Canterbury is a co-educational private school for boarding and day pupils between the ages of 3 months and 18 years. It was founded in 1885, and is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. Originally establis ...

* Kensington Park School * Kingham Hill School *

King's Ely King's Ely The School's Terms and Conditions and the Companies House registration would suggest that the School's legal name remains "The King's School, Ely" is an All-through school, all through Public school (United Kingdom), public school ...

King's School, Worcester The King's School, Worcester is a Private schools in the United Kingdom, private co-educational day school refounded by Henry VIII of England, Henry VIII in 1541. It occupies a site adjacent to Worcester Cathedral on the banks of the River Sev ...

* Kingsley School *

Kingswood House School Kingswood House School is a private school in Epsom, Surrey in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1899 and moved to its present site in West Hill in 1920. In September 2021 it opened its doors to girls and became co-educational from Recep ...

* Kirkham Grammar School * Leweston School *

Lichfield Cathedral School Lichfield Cathedral School is a private day school in the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. It traces its lineage to the 14th century when Lichfield Cathedral made provisions to educate its choristers. The school in its current form no ...

Lincoln Minster School Lincoln Minster School (known locally as "LMS" or "The Minster") is a private co-educational day and boarding school in Lincoln, England. It comprises two schools: the preparatory, and senior school. While the school is now open to pupils from ...

Llandovery College Llandovery College () is a coeducational independent boarding and day school in Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales. The college consists of Gollop Preparatory, Senior School and Sixth Form. It was previously known as "Welsh College, Llandovery" ...

* Loughborough Amherst School * Luckley House School * LVS Ascot * Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill * Longridge Towers School * Maida Vale School *

Milton Abbey School Milton Abbey School is a private school for day and boarding pupils in the village of Milton Abbas, near Blandford Forum in Dorset, in South West England. It has 224 pupils , in five houses: Athelstan, Damer, Hambro, Hodgkinson and Tregonwell. ...

* Moon Hall School *

More House School More House School, Frensham is an Private schools in the United Kingdom, independent Special education in the United Kingdom, specialist school located in Surrey. It educates boys aged 8–19 who have Learning disability, learning disabilities. ...

Moreton Hall School Moreton Hall is a private boarding and day school for girls aged 6 months to 18 and boys aged 6 months to 11, situated in North Shropshire four miles from the market town of Oswestry. Founded in 1913, Moreton Hall celebrated its centenary in 2 ...

* Mount Kelly School * Myddelton College *

Newcastle School for Boys Newcastle School for Boys, or NSB, is a private day school for boys aged 3–18 in Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. It has approximately 400 students.ISI Report, November 2007 History NSB was formed in 2005 with the merger of Ascham Ho ...

Our Lady of Sion School Our Lady of Sion School is an interdenominational, inter-denominational, independent school for male and female students, founded in 1862 and located in Worthing, West Sussex, on the south coast of England. Based on the teachings of Marie Theodo ...

Oswestry School Oswestry School is an ancient public school (English independent boarding and day school), located in Oswestry, Shropshire, England. It was founded in 1407 as a 'free' school, being independent of the church. This gives it the distinction of b ...

* Our Lady's Abingdon *

Oxford International College Nord Anglia Education, commonly referred to as Nord Anglia, is an international private school operator headquartered in the United Kingdom. Nord Anglia has more than 80 private day and boarding schools located in 30 countries across the Ameri ...

* Pitsford School *

Queen's College, Taunton Queen's College is a co-educational private school located in Taunton, the county town of Somerset, England. It is a day/boarding school for pupils aged 0–18. The school incorporates nursery, pre-prep, prep, and senior schools. The current Hea ...

Read School, Drax Read School, Drax is a Boarding school, boarding, day, and independent school, based in the rural village of Drax, North Yorkshire, Drax, near Selby, North Yorkshire, England. Formerly a Single-sex school#United Kingdom, boys' school, it became ...

* Reading Blue Coat School * Reddam House *

Reed's School Reed's School is an independent secondary school, secondary day school, day and boarding school for boys with a co-educational sixth form located in Cobham, Surrey, England. There are currently around 700 day pupils (620 boys, 80 girls) and 1 ...

Rendcomb College Rendcomb College is a public school (English private boarding and day school) for pupils aged 3–18, located in the village of Rendcomb five miles north of Cirencester in Gloucestershire, England. Rendcomb College was founded in 1920 by ...

* Rishworth School *

Royal Ballet School The Royal Ballet School is a British school of classical ballet training founded in 1926 by the Anglo-Irish ballerina and choreographer Ninette de Valois. The school's aim is to train and educate outstanding classical ballet dancers, especially ...

Ruthin School Ruthin School is a private day and boarding school located on the outskirts of Ruthin, the county town of Denbighshire, North Wales. It is over seven hundred years old, making it one of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom. Originally a sch ...

Rydal Penrhos Rydal Penrhos School is a private day school in Colwyn Bay, North Wales. It is the only Methodist school in the independent sector in Wales. It is located on multiple sites around the town with a site in the neighbouring village of Rhos-on-Sea ...

* St Augustine's Priory * Saint Christina's School * St Christopher School,

Letchworth Letchworth Garden City, commonly known as Letchworth, is a town in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. It is noted for being the first garden city. The population at the time of the 2021 census was 33,990. Letchworth ...

* St Columba's College, St Albans * St David's College * St Edward's School *

Saint Felix School Saint Felix School is a 2–18 mixed, private, day and boarding school in Reydon, Southwold, Suffolk, England. The school was founded in 1897 as a school for girls but is now co-educational. History The school was founded in 1897 as a girls' s ...

* St Gabriel's School * St George's School * St James Independent Schools *

St John's College, Cardiff St John's College is a private co-educational day school in the village of Old St Mellons in Cardiff, Wales. It is the choir school of Wales' national Catholic cathedral, Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral. History of St John's College De La ...

St John's College, Portsmouth St John's College was a Private schools in the United Kingdom, private day and boarding school located in Southsea, Hampshire, England. It was founded by the La Sallian educational institutions, De La Salle brothers in 1908. In May 2022, the G ...

* St Joseph's College *

St Joseph's College, Ipswich St Joseph's College is a co-educational Private schools in the United Kingdom, private school for day and boarding pupils between the ages of 2 and 19 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. With usually 550-600 pupils on the roll, the College is located ...

St Paul's Cathedral School St Paul's Cathedral School is an independent school associated with St Paul's Cathedral in London and is located in New Change in the City of London. The school has around 220 pupils, most of whom are day pupils, both boys and girls, including ...

Scarborough College Scarborough College is a private coeducational day and boarding school aged 3–18 years in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England. It was founded in 1898 and opened in 1901. The school has been an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School ...

Seaford College Seaford College is an independent Mixed-sex education, co-educational boarding school, boarding and day school at East Lavington, south of Petworth, West Sussex, England. Founded in 1884, it is a member of the Headmasters Conference, Headmaster ...

Sedbergh School Sedbergh School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Private schools in the United Kingdom, private boarding school, boarding and day school, day school) in the town of Sedbergh in Cumbria, North West England. It comprise ...

Shebbear College Shebbear College is an all-through school, all-through Private schools in the United Kingdom, private co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged 4 – 18 situated in Shebbear, Devon, Shebbear, Devon, England. The school's 85-acre rura ...

* Sherfield School *

Shiplake College Shiplake College is a Private schools in the United Kingdom, private boarding and day school in Shiplake, by the River Thames, just outside Henley-on-Thames, England. The school, with 540 pupils, takes girls and boys from 11–18. Originally boys ...

Sibford School Sibford School is a British co-educational independent school in Sibford Ferris, west of Banbury in north Oxfordshire, linked with the Religious Society of Friends. The school has both day and boarding pupils between the ages of 3 and 18. It is ...

* Silcoates School *

Stafford Grammar School Stafford Grammar School is a co-educational private day school at Burton Manor, located on the outskirts of Stafford, the county town of Staffordshire. Founded in 1982, the school inhabits a building built by the Victorian architect Augustus Pug ...

Stonar School Stonar School, founded in 1895, is a non-denominational independent day and boarding school, at Cottles Park, near Atworth, Wiltshire, south-west England. The school occupies 80 acres of parkland and gardens in a location about 8 miles from Bat ...

* Stover School * Surbiton High School * Teesside High School * Tettenhall College *

The Cathedral School, Llandaff The Cathedral School, Llandaff ( Welsh: ''Ysgol y Gadeirlan, Llandaf'') is a coeducational private day school located in Llandaff, a district north of the Welsh capital Cardiff. Originally established as a choral foundation to train choir boys f ...

The Cedars School The Cedars School is an 11–18 boys, Roman Catholic, private school and sixth form. It is located in the Upper Norwood area of the London Borough of Croydon in England. The current site is the former location of Virgo Fidelis Convent Senior Sc ...

* The Dixie Grammar School * The Hammond * The National Mathematics and Science College *

The Peterborough School The Peterborough School, formerly Peterborough High School, is a private school located in Peterborough, England. Founded as a day school for girls (with girl boarders until July 2013), it is now a coeducational day school. Overview The Peterbo ...

* The

Purcell School The Purcell School for Young Musicians is a specialist private music school for children, located in the town of Bushey, south Hertfordshire, England, and is the oldest specialist music school in the UK. The school was awarded the UNESCO Mozar ...

* The Royal School, Haslemere *

The Royal School, Wolverhampton The Royal School, Wolverhampton is a co-educational free school and sixth form for day and boarding pupils in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. It is the only state school of its type in the UK to have a Royal Charter and it has been a f ...

* The Yehudi Menuhin School *

Thetford Grammar School Thetford Grammar School is a private co-educational day school in Thetford, Norfolk, England. The school possibly dates back to the 7th century, which would make it one of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom. History The school website c ...

* Tranby School *

Tring Park School for the Performing Arts Tring Park School or Tring Park School for the Performing Arts is a co-educational, independent day and boarding school in Tring, Hertfordshire, England. The school combines academia with vocational courses in the performing arts for pupils ag ...

* Trinity School, Teignmouth * Windermere School

References

External links

The Society of Heads
Education in Leicestershire Education-related professional associations Market Harborough Organisations based in Leicestershire Organizations established in 1961 Private school organisations in the United Kingdom Heads 1961 establishments in England 1961 in education Teacher associations based in the United Kingdom {{prof-assoc-stub

Members

See also

References

External links