The Schools & Academies Show has taken place in person – from 17–18 November at the NEC in Birmingham – for the first time since 2019.
For the first time ever, the event was co-located with the first in-person version of the EdTech Summit.
Collectively, the two events attracted over 4,000 attendees and provided a platform for senior education leaders, school suppliers and wider education stakeholders to meet for the first time in person in almost two years.
Across the two days, there were over 100 workshops, case-study-led presentations, debates and keynote sessions from over 200 speakers – which took place in nine dedicated and themed theatres.
The exhibition floor showcased over 170 leading education suppliers providing an array of products and solutions. There were new and returning networking features to give attendees ample opportunities to meet.
The content at the show is supported by the GovNet Education Advisory Board and the EdTech Steering Committee.
Feature areas on the show floor included the EdTech Demonstrator Programme, the Government Education Village, hosted by the Department for Education, the MAT Matchmaking Area, sponsored by AQA, the ConnectEd Lounge, sponsored by Capita, the CPL Village, hosted by CPL Group, and the Speaker Lounge, hosted by LinkyThinks.
Event director Chris Callaghan said: “It truly was an epic event and built into the theme of this year’s show, which was to move beyond recovery to re-discovery and once again bring together pioneers and leaders from the sector to collectively move education forward. After the previous 18 months of upheaval, lockdowns, and what can only be described as turmoil, this really did feel like a big occasion and a chance to highlight the sector moving back to a sense of normality.”
The EdTech Summit was perfectly timed to provide solutions to the growing number of tech-related questions that have arisen due to the rapid take-up of edtech solutions during multiple lockdowns.
This new addition spanned all education age ranges, from primary and secondary through to FE and HE, and provided sessions and workshops to help educational institutions deliver digital strategies. Digital event partner Microsoft delivered two keynote presentations and provided visitors with the first glimpse in the UK of their new Surface Laptop SE.
Plans are already underway for 2022, which will see the two flagship shows in London on 27 April at ExCeL and in Birmingham on 16 November.
