CategoryEducation & Training
Schools & Academies Show - SAA Show
🎯 Selling to this event's audience? Get a free tailored buyer list
Tell us your work email and our AI instantly builds a buyer list matched to Schools & Academies Show - SAA Show — the best‑fit companies to target, the exact decision‑maker job titles, and the industry filters that fit what you sell.
🔒 Get my buyer details Free · ~20 seconds
About this event
Data sheet
Schools & Academies Show - SAA Show – Event Attendee & Buyer Profile Analysis
Event Date: 18–19 November 2026
Location: NEC, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Event Status: Upcoming
Research Date: 2 July 2026
Event Overview
| Event Name | Schools & Academies Show - SAA Show |
| Event Date | 18–19 November 2026 |
| Event Status | Upcoming |
| Venue | NEC |
| City | Birmingham |
| State / Region | West Midlands |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Organizer | Schools & Academies Show / official event organizer as represented on the event website |
| Official Event Website | schoolsandacademiesshow.co.uk |
| Event Type | Education leadership conference, exhibition, and solutions marketplace |
| Primary Category | Education & Training |
| Secondary Applicable Categories | Business Services; Home & Office; IT & Technology; Security & Defense; Environment & Waste |
| Audience Reach | National, with selected international supplier and education-market relevance |
| Estimated Attendance / Expected Footfall | 4,000+ school leaders (organizer-stated); attendance figure not publicly confirmed by the organizer beyond this promotional claim |
| Attendance Data Reliability | Confirmed organizer-published promotional estimate; not independently audited |
| Main Purpose of Event | To connect school and trust leaders with CPD, policy insight, and practical solutions that improve school performance, budget efficiency, inclusion, estates, and pupil outcomes |
About the Event
The Schools & Academies Show is positioned as a major UK meeting place for senior education leaders, academy trust decision-makers, and solution providers serving the school sector. The event combines a conference-style CPD programme with an exhibition floor focused on operational, strategic, and improvement-oriented products and services for schools and trusts.
This event matters because it brings together the people who shape budgets, procurement priorities, operational strategy, and school improvement roadmaps. For suppliers, it offers a concentrated environment to engage leadership-level buyers across governance, finance, estates, inclusion, technology, and teaching support, making it highly relevant for B2B lead generation, attendee profiling, and education-sector pipeline building.
1. Who Attends: Buyers / Attendees
| Buyer / Attendee Segment | Typical Organizations | Buying Role or Influence | Relevance to Exhibitors / Suppliers |
|---|---|---|---|
| School and Trust Leadership | Academy trusts, maintained schools, multi-academy trusts, school groups | Strategic decision-making; budget sign-off; vendor selection | Core audience for improvement, procurement, and leadership solutions |
| Procurement and Sourcing Teams | Trust central teams, school business offices, purchasing functions | Supplier evaluation, tendering, contract negotiation | Strong fit for service providers, frameworks, and cost-saving offers |
| Operations and Estates Leaders | School estates teams, facilities managers, trust operations teams | Influence on maintenance, compliance, buildings, and sustainability spend | Relevant for FM, construction, energy, cleaning, and safety suppliers |
| Finance and Business Leaders | School business managers, CFOs, finance directors, trust finance teams | Budget ownership, ROI assessment, commercial approvals | High relevance for software, financial services, and cost-control solutions |
| Inclusion, SEND, and Wellbeing Leaders | SEND teams, pastoral leaders, inclusion leads, safeguarding leads | Specification of student support, intervention, and wellbeing services | Strong fit for education technology, therapies, and support services |
| Curriculum and Teaching Leaders | Heads of department, curriculum leads, CPD leads | Influence on classroom tools, learning resources, and training | Relevant for edtech, publishing, and professional development providers |
| Technology Leaders | IT managers, digital leads, MIS administrators, trust technology teams | Buying influence on platforms, cybersecurity, devices, and integration | Important for SaaS, cybersecurity, device, and infrastructure vendors |
| Policy and Inspection Stakeholders | Government, regulators, advisors, sector bodies | Thought leadership, standards, inspection and policy influence | Useful for public-sector, research, and policy-related engagement |
2. Event Location and Attendee Geographic Origin
| Geographic Area | Likely Attendee Origin | Buyer Concentration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Host City: Birmingham | Local schools, trusts, suppliers, and sector stakeholders | Medium | Convenient access from the NEC and broader West Midlands education market |
| Host Region: West Midlands | Regional academy trusts and education suppliers | High | Strong regional pull due to transport connectivity and concentration of trusts |
| Nearby Business Hubs | Birmingham, Coventry, Solihull, Nottingham, Leicester, Manchester, Bristol, London | High | Easy travel links support attendance from multiple English regions |
| National Reach | School leaders and trusts across England, Wales, and other UK regions | Very High | Organizer positions the event as a national education leadership destination |
| International Reach | Limited, mainly UK-focused with occasional international solution providers | Low to Medium | Not primarily an international buyer event, but relevant to globally active edtech and education suppliers |
3. Audience Reach
| Reach Level | Assessment | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| National | Primary classification | The event is promoted as the UK’s leading event for senior education leaders and appears designed to attract school and trust buyers from across the country. |
4. Sample Buyer Companies and Websites
| Buyer Company / Organization | Buyer Type | Why It Is Relevant | Website | Best Job Titles to Target | Evidence Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | Government / inspection body | Confirmed speaker organization; highly relevant to policy, standards, school improvement, and inspection-led procurement conversations | ofsted.gov.uk | Senior HMI, Policy Lead, Regional Director, Education Inspector | Confirmed Speaker Organization |
| The Institute for Government | Policy and research organization | Confirmed speaker organization; relevant for education policy and strategic decision-makers | instituteforgovernment.org.uk | Senior Fellow, Policy Analyst, Director of Research, Public Policy Lead | Confirmed Speaker Organization |
| Astrea Academy Trust | Academy trust | Confirmed speaker organization; trust-level buyer for school improvement, operations, and procurement | astreaacademytrust.org | CEO, COO, CFO, Director of School Improvement | Confirmed Speaker Organization |
| The Mercian Trust | Academy trust | Confirmed speaker organization; likely buyer for improvement, estates, finance, and digital solutions | merciantrust.org.uk | Executive Trust Leader, COO, Finance Director, Estates Lead | Confirmed Speaker Organization |
| Academy Transformation Trust | Academy trust | Confirmed speaker organization; relevant for trust-scale buying decisions and school support services | academytransformationtrust.co.uk | CEO, Director of Operations, CFO, ICT Lead | Confirmed Speaker Organization |
| The Charter Schools Educational Trust | Academy trust | Confirmed speaker organization; likely stakeholder for leadership, curriculum, and operations buying | chartertrust.org.uk | CEO, CFO, School Improvement Director, Operations Director | Confirmed Speaker Organization |
| Invictus Education Trust | Academy trust | Confirmed speaker organization; relevant for school improvement and central services procurement | invictus.education | CEO, Director of Education, Business Director, Procurement Lead | Confirmed Speaker Organization |
| Education and Skills Funding Agency | Government agency | Relevant public-sector body for funding, compliance, and sector operational insight | gov.uk | Funding Lead, Programme Manager, Policy Lead, Operations Manager | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| Department for Education | Government department | Core education-policy buyer and stakeholder group for schools and academy market solutions | gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education | Policy Director, Programme Manager, Procurement Officer, Senior Civil Servant | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| Southwark Council | Local authority / education authority | Potential buyer for education support, estates, safeguarding, and service delivery solutions | southwark.gov.uk | Head of Education, Procurement Manager, Commissioning Lead, Programme Manager | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| Birmingham City Council | Local authority / public sector buyer | Host-city public sector stakeholder with likely relevance to education, estates, and community services | birmingham.gov.uk | Procurement Officer, Education Commissioner, Facilities Director, Partnership Manager | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
5. Job Profiles, Industries and Event Type
| Priority | Job Title / Function | Department | Seniority Level | Why This Role Matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chief Executive Officer / Executive Trust Leader | Executive | C-Level / Executive | Owns strategy, growth, and major vendor decisions across trusts and school groups |
| 2 | Chief Operating Officer / Director of Operations | Operations | C-Level / Director | Influences procurement, service delivery, and central services decisions |
| 3 | Chief Financial Officer / Finance Director | Finance | C-Level / Director | Approves budget, evaluates ROI, and controls spend |
| 4 | Procurement Manager / Purchasing Lead | Procurement | Manager / Senior Manager | Directly responsible for sourcing and vendor comparison |
| 5 | School Business Manager / School Operations Manager | Business Operations | Manager | Practical buyer for services, supplies, and efficiency tools |
| 6 | Director of School Improvement / Improvement Lead | School Improvement | Director / Senior Manager | Seeks evidence-based solutions to improve outcomes and performance |
| 7 | Director of Estates / Facilities Director | Estates / Facilities | Director | Relevant for building services, compliance, maintenance, and sustainability procurement |
| 8 | IT Director / Digital Lead / MIS Manager | IT / Digital | Director / Manager | Influences technology, cybersecurity, data, and software adoption |
| 9 | SEND Lead / Inclusion Lead / Safeguarding Lead | Inclusion / Student Support | Manager / Senior Lead | Procures support services, intervention tools, and specialist provision |
| 10 | Headteacher / Principal / Deputy Head | School Leadership | Senior Leadership | Key stakeholder for adoption, referrals, and internal championing |
| Priority | Apollo Industry | Why It Fits the Event | Best Buyer Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education Management | Core sector for school and trust leaders | School improvement, leadership, and trust-wide procurement |
| 2 | Government Administration | Public-sector education stakeholders and regulators are relevant | Policy, funding, compliance, and sector programs |
| 3 | E-Learning | Digital learning tools and CPD solutions are a fit | LMS, assessment, remote learning, and staff training |
| 4 | Information Technology & Services | School tech buyers attend for digital transformation and operations | MIS, cloud, data, integrations, and support services |
| 5 | Facilities Services | Estates and operational improvement are show themes | Cleaning, maintenance, compliance, FM contracts |
| 6 | Construction | Relevant to estates upgrades, refurbishment, and new-build support | School building projects, repairs, and capital works |
| 7 | Environmental Services | Sustainability and estates efficiency are show themes | Energy efficiency, waste, carbon reduction, recycling |
| 8 | Security & Investigations | Safeguarding and site security are recurring school priorities | Access control, CCTV, visitor management, safeguarding tools |
| 9 | Professional Training & Coaching | CPD is central to the event proposition | Leadership development, staff training, coaching programs |
| 10 | Business Supplies & Equipment | School operational spend covers office and classroom essentials | Consumables, workspace equipment, and budget-saving products |
6. Estimated Attendance
| Metric | Figure | Status | Source / Basis | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimated total footfall | 4,000+ school leaders | Confirmed organizer-published estimate | Official website promotional content | Promotional figure; not independently audited |
| Exhibitor count | 250+ solution providers | Confirmed organizer-published estimate | Official website promotional content | Useful indicator of buying-market density |
| Speaker count | 300+ industry-leading speakers | Confirmed organizer-published estimate | Official website promotional content | Strong content depth for attendee engagement |
| CPD content volume | 50+ hours | Confirmed organizer-published estimate | Official website promotional content | Signals strong educational engagement |
| Buyer count | Not publicly confirmed | Unavailable | Organizer does not publicly confirm a buyer-only count | Likely mixed audience of decision-makers and suppliers |
7. Key Focus Areas and Buyer Engagement
| Focus Area | Typical Buyer Need | Buyer Engagement Opportunity | Relevant Supplier Offering |
|---|---|---|---|
| Procurement | Better pricing, framework access, compliance, and supplier comparison | Meet procurement and finance leaders looking for value and risk reduction | Procurement services, frameworks, sourcing tools, managed services |
| Technology | Digital platforms, MIS, integration, and automation | Capture IT and digital transformation conversations with school buyers | Edtech, SaaS, IT services, devices, analytics |
| Cybersecurity | Safer systems, data protection, and school network resilience | Speak to IT leaders and trust-wide digital stakeholders | Security software, monitoring, training, incident response |
| Estates & Sustainability | Building efficiency, maintenance, compliance, and carbon reduction | Engage estates directors and FM teams on cost-saving upgrades | FM services, energy management, waste, construction, refurbishment |
| Inclusion & Wellbeing | SEND support, intervention, safeguarding, and staff/pupil wellbeing | Target inclusion leads and safeguarding decision-makers | Support services, wellbeing tools, specialist training, case management |
| Leadership & CPD | Professional development and leadership strategy | Ideal for thought leadership and executive engagement | Training, coaching, leadership development, content platforms |
Lead Quality Assessment
| Factor | Assessment | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer relevance | Very High | The event attracts school and trust leaders with direct influence over operational and strategic buying. |
| Decision-maker availability | High | Strong concentration of senior education, finance, operations, and procurement roles. |
| Data collection potential | High | Useful for attendee list sales, lead scoring, and vertical segmentation. |
| Apollo targeting potential | High | Clear job-title, industry, and institution-type filters support accurate prospecting. |
| Geographic targeting potential | High | Can be filtered by UK regions, especially England and major urban education hubs. |
| Best outreach approach | Very High | Email plus LinkedIn outreach to trust leaders, procurement teams, and operations directors ahead of the event. |
| Overall lead quality | Very High | Strong concentration of senior buyers and practical solution demand makes this a high-value B2B event. |
| Best use case | Attendee list building, education-sector prospecting, and event-based account targeting | Best suited for suppliers selling to schools, trusts, and public-sector education organizations. |
| Limitations / risks | Moderate | Some attendee and exhibitor data may remain behind registration gates or may be promotional rather than audited. |
Apollo.io Targeting Recommendation
| Filter Type | Recommended Filters | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Apollo industries | Education Management; Government Administration; E-Learning; Information Technology & Services; Facilities Services; Construction; Environmental Services; Security & Investigations; Professional Training & Coaching; Business Supplies & Equipment | Prioritize institutions and suppliers aligned to school improvement and operational buying |
| Departments | Procurement; Operations; Finance; IT; Estates; School Improvement; Inclusion; Leadership | Reach the functions most likely to evaluate, influence, and approve solutions |
| Seniority | Director, VP, C-Level, Head, Principal, Owner, Partner, Manager | Focus on strategic decision-makers and operational buyers |
| Job titles | CEO, COO, CFO, Director of Operations, Procurement Manager, School Business Manager, Estates Director, IT Director, Headteacher, Trust Leader | Create title-based lists for outreach and attendee matching |
| Geography | United Kingdom; England; West Midlands; Greater London; North West; East Midlands; South East | Match the event’s national UK reach and likely travel corridors |
| Employee size | 11–50; 51–200; 201–500; 501–1,000; 1,001–5,000 | Capture schools, trusts, and service providers at scale |
| Keywords | school improvement, academy trust, SEND, safeguarding, procurement, estates, CPD, MIS, curriculum, wellbeing, sustainability | Sharpen relevance for event-linked prospecting |
| Company type | Educational institutions; public sector; nonprofits; solution providers | Separate buyer organizations from vendors and partners |
Suggested Apollo search logic: (Education Management OR Government Administration OR E-Learning) AND (Procurement OR Operations OR Finance OR IT OR Estates OR School Improvement) AND (Director OR Head OR Manager OR Chief OR Principal)
Client Fit Review Required
Please share the client website or product/service details. I will review the client offering and identify the highest-fit buyer companies, Apollo industries, seniority levels, departments, and job titles from this event.
Sources & Verification Notes
| Source | Type | What It Verified | Reliability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schools & Academies Show official website | Official organizer source | Event name, date, venue, city, positioning, agenda references, speaker names, exhibitor/speaker counts, and attendance estimate | High |
| NEC Birmingham official website | Venue source | Venue identity and location context for Birmingham events | High |
| Ofsted | Government source | Confirmation of Ofsted as a real public-sector stakeholder organization relevant to the event | High |
| The Institute for Government | Institutional source | Confirmation of speaker organization relevance to policy and public-sector education analysis | High |
| GOV.UK | Government portal | Reference source for UK government and education-administration organizations used in buyer targeting guidance | High |
🎯 Selling to this event's audience? Get a free tailored buyer list
Tell us your work email and our AI instantly builds a buyer list matched to Schools & Academies Show - SAA Show — the best‑fit companies to target, the exact decision‑maker job titles, and the industry filters that fit what you sell.
🔒 Get my buyer details Free · ~20 seconds