Unveiling What’s Ahead for 2026

Looking Ahead to 2026: What’s Next for the SAASHOW

As we look ahead to 2026, we’re excited to share what’s in store for the Schools & Academies Show. Building on an incredible year for the community, 2025 marked our most successful year to date — welcoming more visitors than ever before, facilitating thousands of meaningful connections and showcasing practical, solution-led innovation to support school and trust leaders across the sector.

This momentum has shaped our plans for 2026. With bigger events, enhanced features and more networking opportunities, our focus remains on delivering high-impact experiences that provide actionable insights, real solutions and lasting value for school leaders.

Two Unmissable Events

SAASHOW London | 7th May 2026 | Excel, London
The Schools & Academies Show returns to the Excel London in May 2026. The show will once again welcome thousands of education leaders, offering the perfect opportunity to connect with peers, hear from influential speakers and discover innovative solutions designed to transform outcomes for pupils and staff.

The show floor will host the SEND Conference and School Estates Summit, ensuring visitors will benefit from meeting a more diverse range of market-leading education suppliers and accessing content specific to the specific challenges facing school leaders. 

Registration is now live, and you can officially get your free pass to join us at the Excel on 7th May for a day of learning, cutting-edge solutions and actionable insights to bring back to your school.

SAASHOW Birmingham | 18–19 November 2026 | NEC Birmingham
In November, we’ll return to the NEC, Birmingham for our flagship two-day event. Across both days, attendees can expect inspiring content, valuable networking opportunities, partner-led events and access to tangible, practical solutions — all under one roof. 

Registration for our Birmingham show will go live in the summer, however you can find out more and register your interest in attending here.

New and Enhanced Show Features

Introducing the SBL Networking Area
Following the success of the Business & Finance Zone and the continued growth of our CFO and SBM audience, we’re partnering with the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) to launch the SBL Networking Area at our London Show. This dedicated space will give school business leaders the opportunity to:

• Access 1-2-1 advice from leading suppliers

• Network with peers facing similar operational and budgetary challenges

• Take part in focused discussions around financial and operational leadership

Inclusive Classroom 
Launching at SAASHOW London, the Inclusive Classroom will bring SEND provision to life on the show floor. Hosted by leading SEND suppliers, this immersive feature will showcase what an inclusive classroom can look like in practice, offering inspiration, ideas and real-world solutions for school and MAT leaders.

Partner Events Across 2026

Partnership remains at the heart of SAASHOW, and in 2026 we’re proud to be hosting a series of dedicated partner events at our shows this year.

FED Education

We’ll be working with FED Education to host their bi-annual NEA meetings at both shows in 2026. The FED is dedicated to the belief that long-term strategic education planning is vital to the success of countries and  their people, which aligns perfectly with our core values. By partnering, our combined efforts will provide a platform for meaningful discussion, debate and solutions so that long-term local regional, national and global challenges can be resolved.

National Governance Association

At SAAS Birmingham 2025, we hosted the NGA Annual Conference & AGM, and due to the success of the event, the NGA will be hosting two conferences at our shows in 2026. At the Excel in May, the NGA will host a stream of Leadership and Governance sessions attracting hundreds of decision makers and influencers in the sector. 

At the NEC, Birmingham this November, the National NGA Annual Conference & AGM will once again take place on Day 2 (19th November) with exclusive updates for NGA members and dedicated content for Governors, School and MAT Leadership.

Explore the Show Like Never Before

Take a sneak peek at where the education community comes together to connect, learn and grow! 

Explore our show floor with our immersive 360° camera experience which places you right at the heart of the event! You can also check out the show map so you can check out the theatres, features and co-located events on offer. Check out the full London 2026 floorplan here.

Stay Up to Date in 2026

With a busy year ahead, we’ve made it easier than ever to keep track of what’s coming up. Download the SAAS 2026 Event Calendar to stay up to date with our events, key dates and opportunities to get involved throughout the year.