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The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC) is an association of the head teachers of 242 leading day and boarding independent boys' and coeducational schools in the United Kingdom, Crown dependencies and the Republic of Ireland. There are also International Members (mostly from the British Commonwealth) and a number of Additional Members who are elected as the head teachers of a limited number of outstanding state schools. The size of the Conference has grown - as late as the 1970s, membership was confined to a maximum of 200. It is one of the seven affiliated organisations of the Independent Schools Council (ISC).

The Conference dates from 1869 when Edward Thring, Headmaster of Uppingham, asked thirty seven of his fellow headmasters to meet at his house to consider the formation of a "School Society and Annual Conference". Twelve accepted the invitation and from that date there have been annual meetings. It changed its name from the "Headmasters' Conference" to the "Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference" in 1996.

Membership of the HMC is often considered as what defines a school as a public school in England or Wales, placing it amongst the more prestigious private schools.