On 26th – 27th September, Childcare & Education Expo Midlands 2025 welcomed over 2000 attendees and over 100 exhibitors to the CBS Arena in Coventry.
We’re especially proud to share that this marks the second record-breaking event for Childcare & Education Expo in 2025 - following the success of our London show - further solidifying its status as the UK’s leading trade event for the early years sector.
Whether you were among the crowd sharing insights with fellow professionals, or you missed out and want to catch up on what made this year so special, we’ve rounded up all the must-see moments, standout sessions, and reasons why this event continues to pave the way as the UK’s leading early years show. Let’s have a look at the highlights!
A successful launch of the SEND in Early Years Conference
This year’s event saw the successful launch of the SEND in Early Years Conference – an inspiring, one-day conference bringing together Early Years Leaders, including owners, managers, lead SEND advisors, SENCOs, Early Years Advisors and SLT leads.
Supported by our registration sponsor and principal conference partner, HOPE, we were excited to see these Early Years Leaders come together to discuss inclusivity, sensory challenges, autism friendly strategies, and neurodivergent ways of being - ultimately celebrating SEND and empowering every individual child to thrive. One of our special guests, Professor Sam Wass, also delivered a keynote session on Skills for Complex Needs, exploring Attention Control, Stress & Emotional Arousal in Early Childhood, which was well-received by all attendees.
Building off this year’s success, the SEND in Early Years Conference will return to Coventry on Friday 2nd October 2026.
His Majesty's Chief Inspector delivers a free session on the latest Ofsted updates
On Friday, we were privileged to host Sir Martyn Oliver – His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Ofsted – for a free-to-attend session and Q&A, covering key topics within the early years, the latest sector updates, and Ofsted’s renewed framework.
As one of our busiest seminar sessions over the show, this was a brilliant opportunity for delegates to ask, learn and feel more confident about inspections. It was ideal for both new and experienced providers, all of which were in the room. Read Sir Martyn’s full speech transcript from the session over on Ofsted’s website.
The return of Britain's favourite children's author
Michael Rosen returned to Childcare & Education Expo to deliver two passionate CPD seminars on the important role of storytelling, and thriving in early childhood education, as well as a very popular book signing.
Hundreds queued to meet the renowned author in person, leaving with old and new signed copies of his well-loved stories.
Inspiring content streams and CPD opportunities
Childcare & Education Expo continues to provide a wide range of inspiring content streams and learning opportunities, with more than 40 hours of CPD early years educational content, and access to over 40 expert speakers from across the day nursery and early years sector.
Some of the topics covered outdoor learning, leading success in early years, supporting regulation, the importance of play, and the power of storytelling – all tackling current challenges and inspiring new ideas for visitors to take back with them. Tapestry also sponsored a panel session in which speakers discussed how to adapt early years practice for the modern child.
Additionally, our Share & Support Hub, sponsored by Partou, brought together key industry experts and leaders to discuss sector challenges, and provided a free opportunity for attendees to get advice and share their own ideas and experiences.
New products, resources and services on exhibition
This year’s event showcased over 100 leading exhibitors, featuring the latest products, resources and services aimed at enhancing early years education.
This show also saw the introduction of our new Exhibitor Awards - from unforgettable newcomers and exciting giveaways to legendary exhibitors who’ve been with us for over 10 years, these awards were all about recognising the brands that went above and beyond to create an exceptional experience for our visitors!
We’d also like to extend our thanks to College But Different for sponsoring our lanyards, and Funding Loop for sponsoring our visitor bags, badges and event guides, which all enhanced the visitor experience in and around the exhibition floor.
Hands-on learning areas, interactive workshops, and special additions
We also showcased a wide range of hands-on, immersive feature areas and workshops, such as the Little Learners LIVE stand, sponsored by YPO. These areas provided inspiration through activity and development ideas, designed to spark creativity and support attendees in their work with children.
It was great to see attendees getting stuck into the workshops, feeing excited about bringing new ideas back to their settings and working together on the fun activities our speakers brought to the programme.
Special additions to the expo also included the Early Years Breakfast Summit, sponsored by Christie & Co, featuring high-level networking and discussions on the future of early education. Our headline sponsor, Morton Michel, also hosted their Wellbeing Summit, with practical tools to support wellbeing and fostering a healthy team culture.
Looking ahead to 2026
We’re looking forward to building on the momentum of Childcare & Education Expo Midlands and bringing bigger and better events in 2026.
Childcare & Education Expo London 2026 will see a brand new International Early Years Leadership Forum, gathering the most influential leaders shaping the future of early years education worldwide.
Additionally, we’re announcing The Nursery Leaders Network – a new membership community designed for Independent Nursery Owners, Nursery Group CEO’s and Senior Leadership Teams, uniting like-minded leaders, fostering insight-driven innovation and accelerating sector-wide growth in early years, providing a platform where experience meets strategy and ambition meets support.
Finally, after this year’s success, we’re officially expanding and rebranding our Midlands show to Childcare & Education National 2026! At the same venue, but with the introduction of a new National Early Years Leadership Forum, this will be the perfect opportunity to welcome attendees across the nations.
With so much to look forward to in 2026, make sure you’ve joined our waitlist to be the first to hear about event updates, speaker lineups and more!