Hear from a staff member of Childcare & Education Expo and their experience of the show…

For the final live show of 2022, it was only appropriate that Childcare & Education Expo returned to the place where it all began 12 years ago – the Midlands!

There was great excitement as special guests Sid Sloane, Actor and Former CBeebies Presenter, and Alistair Bryce-Clegg, Co-Founder of My First Five Years Ltd, opened day one of the show to a sea of smiling faces from across the childcare sector. Day two of the expo began with a bang, as special guest Ben Faulks AKA Mr. Bloom from CBeebies opened the show with a great cheer from the visitors as they entered through the doors. It was a great joy to see visitors from far and wide exploring the show floor and discovering their unique interests.

Interactive Workshops

Visitors took centre stage on Friday during Sid Sloane’s two-part interactive workshops. Stepping out of our comfort zones, we performed our way to success and left with new confidence and communication skills. Later that day, we sang our way through phase 1 phonics led by Stephanie Hammond. Stephanie taught the importance of securing the foundations of pre-phonics skills before children start their schooling career.

On Saturday, the day started with a journey of reflection and a focus on children’s wellbeing. Rachel Davis’s workshop helped us understand how we can support children to explore powerful concepts such as self-awareness, managing emotions and self-belief. It didn’t take long for us to get our hands dirty in Hollie Hindle and Jennifer Woods’s interactive workshop! From mud writing to spelling sticks, there was a wealth of practical outdoor activity ideas to take away!

CPD Seminars & Panel Discussions

We had our thinking caps on and listening ears open as there was so much to be learnt during the show’s seminar and panel discussions. Friday’s learnings began with a panel discussion on recruitment and retention, where we discovered ways to re-build the workforce. Ben Kingston-Hughes used his expertise in cognitive development to promote play as an essential building block for children’s progress and Ali McClure revealed how to raise reflective learners. Laughter filled the room as Alistair Bryce-Clegg shared his quirky spin on covering common trends in today’s Early Years environments in a search for evidence of their impact. The day ended on an update from Ofsted as they provided attendees with an understanding of the current issues regarding inspections.

Saturday began with a special panel led by a number of professionals in the sector. The panel, focused on behaviour, communication and language needs, opened up important discussions that left many of the audience emotional. Throughout the course of the day, we also looked into the keys to safeguarding presented by Esha Johnson; how to feel inspection ready with Preeti Patel and Jeremy Clarke; embracing a forest school approach to outdoor learning by Umbareen Daniels as well as the concept of Continuous Provision with Alistair Bryce-Clegg.

Feature Areas

Our little visitors and childcare professionals alike couldn’t get enough of our all-new Tuff Tray Play Zone! Created by practitioners working within the sector, the tuff trays displayed an imaginative array of examples that provided many learning opportunities that could be easily replicated in visitors’ settings. Colour and creativity were continuously spread during the show as we all got stuck into the mindfulness rock painting zone as well as transforming the giant colouring wall!

Exhibition and Networking

Walking through the exhibition floor and shopping village, there was something for everyone to benefit from. The exhibitors, who truly strive to make a difference in the sector, showcased an abundance of quality resources and services. Across the hall, visitors also met with the organisations who are empowering the workforce, caring for the wellbeing of children and focusing on achieving high quality education.

Wherever you found yourself at the expo, the opportunities for networking were endless! The show was buzzing as childcare professionals from across the sector formed new, valuable connections to further their setting and the childcare sector. Even our little visitors made new allies!

That’s a wrap for our live shows for 2022 and we’ve made so many special memories with all who attended Childcare & Education Expo. Don’t worry, there is still more fun in store for this year at Childcare & Education Expo Virtual Summit. Join us on the 26th of November to hear from all of your favourite speakers from 2022!

Keep your eyes peeled as registration will be opening soon…