Our brand-new show, Nursery World North, got off to a flying start on 5-6 May at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool, with more than 1,500 visitors attending over two opportunity-filled days.
They found a great choice of stands, with leading equipment suppliers including TTS, Hope Education, Community Playthings, Hand Made Places, YPO, Experiential Play, Yellow Door and Route2Education. Story Starters brought Dolly Parton along to help with its communication programme (or at least a cardboard cut-out!).
Visitors could also sign up for courses, consider a job with a holiday company, join a union or an early years association, talk to charities, buy books or special needs resources, get help with legal and HR matters, and much more.
The seminar and masterclass programme was a major draw for those after some top CPD. Professor Ferre Laevers, leading Saturday’s masterclass on quality with Jan Dubiel, was asked for autographs as a true early years celebrity. Friday’s masterclass on maths featured experts Linda Pound, Anne O’Connor and Tom Weaver.
Gill Jones of Ofsted presented to a seminar room crowded with appreciative delegates, and a wide range of sessions including outdoors, multi-lingualism, behaviour, family engagement, neuroscience, boys’ learning and British Values all left attendees brimming with ideas.
Special zones were a new feature, with some delicious food cooked up at the Nutrition Zone, and TTS’s Early Years Resources & Learning Zone offering some eye-catching displays. The Live Theatre pulled in large audiences for presentations including the latest on the 30 hours’ free childcare, SEND, and the ever-popular Alice Sharp on ‘Are you a learning provocateur?’.
Congratulations to everyone involved, including sponsors TTS, Blossom Educational (for show bags and wifi), Capture Education (for lanyards) and Voice (for badges), plus all our exhibitors, visitors and speakers.
Roll on 2018: the Nursery World Show will be in London on 2-3 February, and Nursery World North will return to Liverpool on 11-12 May.
See more photos from Nursery World North
