Thousands of people are set to head to the UK’s largest event for Early Years education in Coventry in September.
A nationally renowned early years consultant, author and trainer will be sharing her expert insights at the Childcare & Education Expo.
Alice Sharp has been announced as keynote speaker at the upcoming Childcare & Education Expo– which is set to see more than 2,000 delegates from across the Early Years sector visit Coventry Building Society Arena on Friday 22 September and Saturday 23 September.
Alice has more than 30 years’ experience in practice and runs Adventures With Alice, an award-winning online CPD journey for early years educators and childcare practitioners.
Childcare & Education Expo will also feature more expert speakers than ever before as part of its comprehensive conference programme, including Neil Leitch OBE, Chief Executive of the Early Years Alliance and speakers from Ofsted giving insight into the inspection process.
Key issues will be discussed which are currently facing the early years sector, including recruitment and retention, funding, ratios and individual needs for children.
The event is also set to see a focus on wellbeing in the sector, for both practitioners and children, with a workshop programme focused on improving physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
It is the 13th time the conference and exhibition has been hosted at Coventry Building Society Arena and it attracts professional, practitioners, teachers and senior leadership who work in early years, childcare and day nurseries from across the Midlands.
As the show continues to grow, organisers are introducing a range of new features for this year including the ‘Tuff Tray Play Zone’ which will be run by practitioners and give visitors practical inspiration to take back to their nurseries and classrooms.
Early Years Alliance, the largest early years membership organisation with 14,000 members, will be hosting a creative feature area called ‘The Joy of Doing’ which highlights how children can be encouraged to experiment, discover and be creative.
The Early Years Breakfast Summit will also run on Friday 22 September alongside the event, bringing together owners and senior nursery group directors to discuss the major topics and issues facing the sector.
There will be more than 100 exhibitors showcasing the latest products and services, including BBC Tiny Happy People which helps to develop children’s language skills.
Aggie Pounds, Senior Marketing Executive at Childcare & Education Expo, said: “We have always sought to provide a schedule of speakers that can make a real impact on our delegates, and we are certain that Alice Sharp will do just that.
“There are challenges facing a wide range of industries in the UK at the moment, and childcare, early years and day nurseries is no different.
“It’s an incredibly fast-paced industry and its important to have some time to assess, learn and improve. The simple act of speaking to others in the early year’s community, learning from each other and sharing stories can be hugely impactful.
“Coventry Building Society Arena is where it all began for this show and we’re proud to have been growing the show at the venue since 2010.”
Childcare & Education Expo launched at Coventry Building Society Arena in 2010 and now runs in three locations across the UK.
Jenni Ford, Director of Sales and Marketing at Coventry Building Society Arena, said: “We have a fantastic relationship with the organisers of the Childcare & Education Expo and it is a partnership which has thrived for 13 years. It’s a show that always looking to innovate and improve, and a show that reflects our values as a venue.”
PICTURE CAPTION: Alice Sharp, keynote speaker at the Childcare & Education Expo