January/February 2009, Press Release
The Education Show Attracts 6 percent more visitors
Press Release
April 1, 2009
The Education Show attracts
6 per cent more visitors
The Education Show created a big bang in more senses than one over three days at the NEC with 15,509* visitors attending the UK’s leading event for education resources.
That figure represents an impressive six per cent increase compared to 2008, and feedback from visitors and exhibitors alike confirmed that the Show was a huge success.
“It was a great Show,” said Keith Clifford, Marketing Manager for event organisers Emap Connect. “We were absolutely delighted with the attendance and also the positive response from everyone who came.
“The Show is renowned as the perfect place for educationalists to discover all the very latest products and services and as always, there was a vast selection to choose from.
“The Big Bang science feature was extremely well received, and there’s no doubt that it achieved what we set out to do in helping to put the subject back on the map.
“It was particularly interesting that the CPD seminar sessions attracted a record number of attendees. I see that as confirmation that a growing number of teachers are looking for a complete experience. They want to be informed as well as entertained.
“We were also very aware of how important it was at this difficult time for exhibitors to have a successful three days, and feedback suggests that the vast majority generated plenty of business.
“All in all, we are extremely happy and The Education Show’s reputation as a prestigious event which has a major influence throughout the industry is firmly intact.”
More than 2,500 people attended the 70 seminars, which was made up of full programmes throughout the three days for early years, primary, secondary and special needs.
Seminars Organiser Martin Jack said: “We moved on considerably from last year and I think the record attendance reflected the quality of the content and its relevance to the audience. The mixture of policy and practice was just right.
“People were actually sitting on the floor at a number of sessions and you don’t do that unless you are really interested in the subject.
“We set out to ensure that the sessions from the national agencies and various practitioners were totally relevant to the visitors and feedback suggests we achieved that.”
The Big Bang feature was organised in conjunction with the Association for Science Education, whose Manager Rebecca Dixon-Watmough said: “We recognised that The Education Show offered a great opportunity to raise the profile of science at a time when it desperately needs it.
“Big Bang exceeded expectations in every way. Teachers were brimming with enthusiasm, having seen the various workshops that were staged throughout the Show, and we couldn’t be more pleased.”
Ray Barker, Director of BESA, the co-organisers of the Show, said: “We were delighted to see even more teachers and senior leaders flocking to the biggest education resources event in the UK, being positive about the scope of education funding and responding to change in the curriculum.
“With the focus on investment in education as the way to beat the economic downturn, the government continues to support schools and colleges in a major financial way.
“Funding is assured, and educators are obviously not going to be slowed down in their mission to improve the life chances of young people by denying them the very best in what makes classrooms work.”
The Education Show 2010 will take place at the NEC from Thursday March 4 until Saturday March 6.
Ends
*15,509 is an unaudited figure.
For more information, call BowlesAssociates on 0115 982 1210.
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