The education sector remains under pressure and faces both new and long-standing challenges. Funding remains tight, inspection frameworks are changing, rates of disadvantage and high needs are increasing, all of which places more work on teachers and school staff.
But there is opportunity too, with more solutions, providers, talent and expertise within the sector than ever before. There is also a new Secretary of State, with a background as a Governor and a TA as a wife, promising extra money and support in the coming months.
To address these challenges and make the most of the opportunities, The Schools & Academies Show returns to Birmingham’s NEC on 13–14 November, with a renewed focus on the key things that are important to the sector.
Funding and income generation; wellbeing and mental health, for both learners and teachers; SEND and the curriculum will be central to the agenda of sessions across the expanded two days.
Supporting staff is more crucial than ever, with the extra burdens on their time and greater demands being made of many. To reflect this, we have several case studies on the subject, as well as bringing the Wellbeing Demo Area to Birmingham. This dedicated area on the exhibition floor will showcase a range of classes, mini-presentations, demonstrations and talks aimed at senior school and education leaders with the purpose of tackling the growing mental health crisis and wider pupil health issues within the education sector. Stonewall, Food for Life and The Teen Yoga Foundation, among other organisations, will all provide practical, free workshops for staff on things that they can implement day to day.
With policymakers continuing to drive change across the sector, we are proud to host the Government Education Village, returning once more in partnership with the DfE and ESFA, which will include as a new offer for Birmingham, demo sessions running throughout both days. This means that you will be able to explore in detail specific policies and make the most of their expertise and advice, with representatives from Schools Resource Management, Academies Funding, Finance, Educate Against Hate and The Apprenticeship Service.
Sharing best practice and innovation is important to you, as it is to us, so we have arranged case study seminars in the main agenda on topics such as opportunity areas, private/maintained school partnerships, edtech implementation and many more. Minister for the School System, Lord Agnew, will be delivering a speech to open the show and a representation of the political opposition with education spokespeople from Labour, the Lib Dems and the Green Party offering competing alternative futures for education on day two.
The Business & Finance Theatre will be packed with offerings from the DfE and ESFA as well as specialist case studies in income generation and procurement advice. We have partnered with nasen to bring you the biggest ever SEND Theatre, alongside talks from Dr Adam Boddison, and the government’s independent advisor and founder of researchED Tom Bennett.
Panels will debate Ofsted, the future of work, the curriculum, technology in schools, optimum school resource management and the sad rise of youth violence. We have brought together Public Health England, the chief constable of West Midlands Police, a former young offender and parents to discuss this life-changing issue.
New this year is the Charity Village. We recognise the huge contribution charities are making and the good work they are conducting within education. This interactive village of key organisations will provide the perfect opportunity for third sector organisations to showcase their work to you and foster collaboration between the two sectors.
We will also offer new opportunities for networking. Key to this is our MAT Matchmaking Area, where roundtables comprised of MAT leaders will share their knowledge on specific issues, with each 45-minute session chaired by an expert. All MAT leaders and wider senior leadership teams that register for the show will be offered the option to upgrade free of charge to a VIP ticket which will give them access.
As ever, we are solutions-focused, with expert providers such as Sage’s finance software, CENTURYTech’s ground-breaking AI-powered tools which can improve student performance by 30% and cut teacher workload by six hours per week. For schools struggling with staffing, Randstad and Smile Education will be on hand with their specialised recruitment systems designed to give top class support both inside and outside of the classroom.
If your school is looking to expand, look no further than Maun Funding and Arcadis, experts in securing funding and delivering high quality facilities. Classroom resources abound too, with such successes as Mighty Writer: a brand new, innovative and multi-sensory resource that transforms children’s literacy almost overnight.
Join us for this and more at The Schools & Academies Show, Birmingham on 13–14 November at the NEC.
