The Schools & Academies Show 2019 brings together over 4,000 senior education leaders to tackle the biggest educational challenges effecting the sector.
The Schools & Academies Show event returned to the NEC in Birmingham for its 8th year on 13th & 14th November. After seven years as a one day show, the event returned this year offering a two-day format allowing school leaders more dedicated content, the opportunity to choose one or two days to attend, more innovative suppliers and a wide array of new and exciting features aiming to further the conversation around a change in the education sector.
Across the two days, over 4,000 education professionals and suppliers came together to share knowledge and experiences with their peers and learn through best-practice case studies, panel discussions, workshops and keynote presentations, which featured over 160 education leaders, practitioners and pioneers.
Attendees also discovered the latest educational solutions for their organisation from in excess of 230 exhibitors and heard from the wider sector how the supplier market can provide the solutions and expertise to drive efficiencies in their school and ensure positive outcomes for pupils and staff.
The aim of the show this year was to introduce new and exciting additions to the event that revitalised the way in which visitors and exhibitors interacted and learnt about the ground-breaking work being undertaken across the UK. As such, we were delighted to see our new additions generate a huge level of interest, with our MAT Matchmaking Area delivered in partnership with Schoolcomms and ParentPay providing attendees with the opportunity to drill into high-level topics at a greater level of detail in dedicated round table discussion groups, our Wellbeing Demo Area tackle some of the most pressing topics for frontline practitioners through interesting and live demonstrations, the Charity & Not-for-Profit Village provided attendees with an insight into the vital contribution the third sector makes throughout education. Whilst the Network Manager Hub delivered in partnership with ANME (the Association of Network Managers in Education) provided visitors with an in-depth look at the day-to-day challenges of implementing technological solutions in your school, which was highly topical due to the Government’s Education Technology strategy announced earlier in 2019 at the Schools & Academies Show in London in April.
The show this year also hosted the inaugural National Schools Awards delivered in partnership with the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) and sponsored by EduCare, Eduprise, Schools’ Buying Club and The Education Broker. This initiative was an opportunity to recognise and reward both individual education professionals and organisations for the amazing work they continue to do across the sector.
With the first December Election in 96 years taking place one month after the Show, key event supporters; the Department for Education and Education & Skills Funding Agency were unable to take part throughout the two days. However, with key support from the National Governance Association, Confederation of School Trusts, NAHT, ISBL, nasen, Crown Commercial Service, Local Government Association, Nesta, AfPE, ANME, LACA, TechUK, Catholic Education Service, Church of England, Ambition Institute, Incensu and ESPO, the show provided dedicated streams covering School Improvement, Business & Finance, Recruitment & Workforce, Estates, Technology, Wellbeing and MATs, offering attendees a wealth of content to chose from, along with a large variety of solutions throughout the exhibition to help them overcome their current challenges.
In light of the election, Freddie Whitaker, Chief Reporter & Political Editor of Schoolsweek hosted a Leaders’ Town Hall where the main political parties’ policies and party conference pledges were broken down and discussed within interactive Q&A discussions with the audience.
The show also saw support from key media publications including Education Technology, Education Business, QA Education, SEN, Headteacher Update, Education Magazine, Independent Education Today, SecEd, Education Today and PSM.
Plans are already underway for the 2020 portfolio of events which will see the two flagship shows in London on 29th & 30th April at ExCeL and Birmingham on 18th & 19th November at the NEC continue to provide a platform for the education sector to address and overcome the biggest challenges effecting schools and MATs. You can register an interest in attending the shows here.
We have also launched a Call for Content, for members of the education community to submit proposals for talks and seminars at our upcoming shows. The deadline for submission is 15th December and can be found here.
If you would like to find out more about how you can join the leading education suppliers already benefiting from exhibiting at the shows, then please contact enquiries@saashowbirmingham.co.uk or call 0161 200 8689.
About the Events:
The Schools & Academies Show is the UK’s leading education policy event, tackling the biggest topics and changes across the sector in order to ensure better outcomes for pupils and staff and is organised by GovNet Exhibitions.
