Education Business LIVE returns for 2026

Designed to support the efficient and successful running of education settings, Education Business LIVE Conference & Exhibition returns for its second year on 26 March 2026, bringing together professionals who are dedicated to effective school leadership, management and teaching

Taking place at London’s Old Billingsgate, Education Business LIVE will welcome school and trust leaders, teachers, business managers, policymakers and sector experts for a full day of insight, discussion and networking. 

The event will feature an inspirational line-up of educationalists, central government policy-makers, interactive sessions, Q&As and networking opportunities, alongside leading solution providers sharing best practice and innovative ideas to support schools and academies across the UK.

Co-located with the conference is the Education Business Awards. Now in its 17th year, the awards celebrate excellence in the sector across more than twenty categories, including outstanding progress, leadership, SEND provision, education technology, and more. 

The conference programme

The conference programme is built around the key challenges affecting school management today, with themed streams covering leadership, inspections, teacher training, procurement, SEND provision, estates management and technology.

The agenda will open in Theatre One with a leadership-focused session featuring Stephen Morales, chief executive of Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL), and Emma Balchin, chief executive of the National Governance Association (NGA). Together, they will explore the essential ingredients of operational effectiveness, including strong leadership, clear processes and productivity monitoring. They will also consider how schools can build the right mix of people and roles to achieve success.

This will be followed by a session on Initial Teacher Training (ITT). James Coleman, head of operations at the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT), will focus on preparing teachers for real-world challenges, highlighting the importance of human skills such as critical thinking, emotional intelligence and problem-solving, and how embedding these skills into training can support classroom success and improve teacher retention.

Professor Samantha Twiselton OBE from Sheffield Hallam University, will then explore how ITT can move beyond overly prescriptive models while remaining rigorous and intentional in meeting trainees’ needs at every stage of their professional journey.

SEND and inclusivity 

SEND will be a major focus of the programme, with a collaborative session on SEND provision and design for inclusive learning. This session will examine current good operational practice that supports SEND integration in mainstream schools and inclusive learning design, drawing on the perspectives of school staff, parents and carers, and those leading inclusive strategies.

Professor Twiselton returns to discuss the current SEND landscape and what schools can expect going forward. She will be joined by Heba Al-Jayoosi, assistant headteacher and inclusion leader at Mayflower Primary School, who will share practical insights on integrating SEND learners. Ali Durban MBE, co-founder of Gesher School, will speak about her experiences as a SEND parent and establishing a specialist school in London. Meanwhile, Terry White, chair of the Association for Learning Environments, will focus on inclusive design in mainstream schools and connected hubs for SEND learners.

The SEND strand will also include an insightful presentation from Adam Sproston, Senior His Majesty’s Inspector, SEND and Inclusion at Ofsted, who will outline SEND considerations within Ofsted’s renewed inspection framework.

Operations, estates and technology

Theatre Two will open with a session on procurement best practice, focusing on ensuring budgets are well spent and schools are effectively resourced. 

Speakers include Peter Melville, chief operating officer at South West Essex Community Education Trust, Emma Wigmore, CEO of Chelmsford Vine Schools Trust, and Elizabeth Shirley, strategic finance & business manager at Newham Pupil Referral Units (PRUs).

This will be followed by a session on school estates management, delivered in partnership with the National Alliance of School Premises Management (NASPM) and sponsored by Cornerstone. Stuart McGregor, director of operations at NASPM, alongside Paul Jackson, head teacher, and Chris Coyle, operations manager at NASPM, will lead a roundtable discussion on critical health and safety responsibilities, core standards, the duty holder role, and effective risk management, including what “so far as is reasonably practicable” really means in practice.

The final session of the day will focus on AI and EdTech, delivered in partnership with techUK. Opening remarks will come from Austin Earl, education & EdTech lead at techUK and chair of the EdTech Advisory Panel on AI in Education. The session will explore how research-led certification can help schools adopt AI tools with confidence, ensuring they are safe, effective and ethically grounded. Speakers include Rob Peters from the NGA and Chris Goodall, head of digital education at the Bourne Education Trust. 

Alongside this, a session on digital maturity will examine how education leaders, government and industry partners can work together to drive coherent progress. Contributors include Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, and Cheryl Shirley, director of digital learning at LEO Academy Trust.

Both panel sessions in this seminar will be chaired by Edtech legislator, Jim Knight, The Rt Hon Lord Knight of Weymouth.

Roundtable sessions

There will be a number of roundtable sessions taking place throughout Education Business LIVE. These will be small gatherings where everyone has an opportunity to contribute to the conversation with industry experts, tackling subjects such as sustainability, cyber security, curriculum design, and SEND.

Exhibition and networking

The Education Business LIVE exhibition will showcase the latest products and services for the education sector, with solution providers spanning technology, finance, facilities management, security, health and safety, catering, SEND provision and more.

Delegates will have the opportunity to network with peers, engage in live demonstrations and gain hands-on experience of products and services designed to support their roles and improve school operations.

The Education Business Awards

The day will conclude with the Education Business Awards, following the conference sessions. Since 2009, the awards have recognised outstanding achievements in thousands of state and independent schools.
With more than twenty categories, including outstanding progress and leadership, SEND best practice and provision, ICT innovation, procurement, security, environmental practice, school buildings and catering, the awards promise to be a highlight of the education calendar.

Entry is free of charge – simply submit a 500-word entry statement. Shortlisted organisations will receive two complimentary tickets to the awards ceremony, including drinks reception and a complimentary brunch at Education Business LIVE.

Education Business LIVE 2026 offers a unique opportunity to learn, connect and celebrate excellence across the education sector, all in one iconic London venue. 

Sign up to Education Business LIVE for free here.