EduFringe 2025

Join Thorn Lighting as we proudly unveil College 2 — our next-generation lighting solution designed to create better, brighter spaces for learning and working.
College 2 is engineered to meet the evolving needs of modern learning environments, combining smart design, visual comfort, energy efficiency, exceptional lighting quality and flexible installation options in a sleek, modern form.

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Join Thorn Lighting as we proudly unveil College 2 — our next-generation lighting solution designed to create better, brighter spaces for learning and working.

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Sponsored by: 

Frameclad invites you to enjoy a complimentary breakfast on Day 2 at the EduRestaurant.

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All exhibitors, sponsors, speakers, attendees are invited to the Education Estates® Opening Party on Monday 13 October from 18:00 to 20:00 at The Junction in Manchester Central, where DJ Markus will be providing a live set and we will be celebrating the Education Estates® People's Awards.

To attend the Education Estates® Opening Party & People's Awards, you must be registered for the event and have collected your badge and lanyard from registration.

Badge collection will be open from 14:00 to 19:00 on Monday 13 October at Manchester Central.

Register here: (select the best option that applies to you).

Sponsored by: 

EduFest brings together Delegates, Visitors, Exhibitors and Speakers in a social environment in the EduRestaurant.

Join Mike Lea from the Department for Education for EduJog!

Mike will lead a route out of the city centre to Peel Park and back, 5-6km in total and all abilities welcome. A great way to start Day 1 of Education Estates®!
 
The meeting point will be outside the front of Manchester Central at 06:50am.

Join us for an immersive session demonstrating how virtual reality (VR), BIM, and structured datasets can revolutionise education estate management. Explore how a Common Data Environment (CDE) can drive collaboration, sustainability, and informed decision-making across school estates. Participants will get the chance to virtually walk through a school using Autodesk Workshop XR, eliminating the need for physical travel while enhancing spatial understanding and team coordination.

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We will will explore how sustainability goes beyond recycling and energy-saving ideas. It's about creative thinking, strategic decision-making, and understanding the bigger picture to reduce their carbon impact. Using real life scenarios, we can talk through a series of real life situations to provide a wider view on what can be done and more importantly the financial impact this can have to free up much needed budget.

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We will will explore how sustainability goes beyond recycling and energy-saving ideas. It's about creative thinking, strategic decision-making, and understanding the bigger picture to reduce their carbon impact. Using real life scenarios, we can talk through a series of real life situations to provide a wider view on what can be done and more importantly the financial impact this can have to free up much needed budget.

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Garland UK hosts a practical session designed to cut through the confusion surrounding school solar installations. This content-led talk focuses on how education estates teams can overcome common barriers, including funding uncertainty, roof suitability, and fragmented warranty risks, and implement long-term, compliant solar solutions with confidence.

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Running a RIBA accredited CPD session on including a Hygiene Room in School Plans - the Department for Education BB103 and BB104 guidelines, equipment essentials and specification and room layout suggestions.

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Running a RIBA accredited CPD session on including a Hygiene Room in School Plans - the Department for Education BB103 and BB104 guidelines, equipment essentials and specification and room layout suggestions.

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In response to the increasing demand for Inclusive Environments from SEND/ALN school placements and additional mental health requirements to Secure Children’s Homes and CAMHS units, Kier will provide an insight to our Inclusive Environments Best Practice Approach that has been developed based on understanding the educational, health, trauma informed and wellbeing needs of young people, their carers and staff.
Using the Kier 360 approach that leans into the expertise within all the divisions, services, knowledge sharing and social value Kier can provide, our aim is to enhance the lives of the Young People who use the buildings we create, ensuring they have efficient and effective access to therapeutic and inspirational spaces.

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The team from LGfL will be available to offer 1-2-1 support & advice to MAT & school leaders on transitioning to the Cloud and consult on MAT IT strategy.

LGfL partners with leading global EdTech companies to bring together the most complete collection of solutions to help keep children safe, schools data secure and advance Education overall.

As a not-for-profit charity established in 2001, LGfL continues to provide Internet connectivity to over 90% of all London schools. Word of LGfL’s unrivalled and fully inclusive service spread and we’re now the #1 provider to schools in Liverpool, Sandwell, Essex and an increasing number of regions across the country.

The team from LGfL will be available to offer 1-2-1 support & advice to MAT & school leaders on transitioning to the Cloud and consult on MAT IT strategy.

LGfL partners with leading global EdTech companies to bring together the most complete collection of solutions to help keep children safe, schools data secure and advance Education overall.

As a not-for-profit charity established in 2001, LGfL continues to provide Internet connectivity to over 90% of all London schools. Word of LGfL’s unrivalled and fully inclusive service spread and we’re now the #1 provider to schools in Liverpool, Sandwell, Essex and an increasing number of regions across the country.

Meet IRIS: The AI Helping Schools and Students Become Greener and Smarter

In this live session, you’ll see how schools are using IRIS to answer key questions like:
  “Where are we wasting energy right now?”
  “What should go in our Climate Action Plan this term?”
  “How do we evidence progress for governors and inspectors?”

ClearVUE IRIS is an AI-powered, practical decarbonisation tool for heads, business managers and site teams: less admin, faster sign-off, funding-ready evidence and a clear route to lower bills and lower carbon.

Join us and see how IRIS is helping schools lead the change toward a cleaner, smarter, more sustainable world.

Meet IRIS: The AI Helping Schools and Students Become Greener and Smarter

In this live session, you’ll see how schools are using IRIS to answer key questions like:
  “Where are we wasting energy right now?”
  “What should go in our Climate Action Plan this term?”
  “How do we evidence progress for governors and inspectors?”

ClearVUE IRIS is an AI-powered, practical decarbonisation tool for heads, business managers and site teams: less admin, faster sign-off, funding-ready evidence and a clear route to lower bills and lower carbon.

Join us and see how IRIS is helping schools lead the change toward a cleaner, smarter, more sustainable world.

This dynamic, hands-on session explores the realities of decarbonising heating and hot water systems in existing school and commercial estate buildings using Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) and hybrid systems.

Attendees will be taken through a live walk-through of a hybrid system, examining key considerations such as project feasibility, optioneering, and how investigative engineering can be used to develop smart, phased decarbonisation strategies, specifically in complex or legacy school buildings.

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This student-focused presentation introduces the various entry routes into the industry available through Kier’s Emerging Talent Pathways. It will cover opportunities such as:

Work experience
Industry placements
Apprenticeships (Levels 2 – 6)
Graduate roles

The session will highlight the wide range of roles across the business, explain how and when to apply, and offer guidance for those not yet ready to take the next step. Students will also learn how they can get involved early through initiatives like Open Doors, work experience programmes, and other engagement opportunities designed to spark interest and build confidence.

Hungry for more than just insights? Take a well-earned break from the exhibition and conference and join the Morgan Sindall Construction team for lunch on stand 533 from 13:00–14:00.

Please note this complimentary lunch is only available to public sector delegates.*

TG Escapes Modular Eco Buildings would like to invite any public sector delegates to join them for lunch on day 2. Please visit stand 445 on the 15th at 12.15 for a Chef's choice buffet, health shots and champagne.

Please note this complimentary lunch is only available to public sector delegates.*

Join the Scottish Government and the Scottish Futures Trust at Scotland’s Learning Estate Drinks Reception.

In this session, we’ll explore how schools and public estates can take advantage of fully funded infrastructure to meet their sustainability, cost-saving, and wellbeing goals. We’ll present the launch of SolarCatcher, a solar carport with integrated EV charging, and SolarSpace, a self-powered gym facility—both offered at no capital cost to schools.

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Garland UK presents a data-led case study showcasing the remarkable transformation at Thorpe Primary School, where detailed roof condition surveys, technical insight, and long-term thinking led to a £98k project saving for the school.

Through this interactive session, we’ll demonstrate how smart surveying, rigorous asset analysis, and service-led specification helped a school avoid a costly full roof replacement and extend the roof’s lifespan, while protecting its limited capital budget.

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Barker and Let’s Go Zero are joining forces to offer a relaxed but focused drop-in clinic for education leaders who want 1-2-1 advice on all things sustainability and decarbonisation.

Whether you’re just starting to think about your net zero ambitions or you're deep in delivery and need support with the next step, this is your chance to get expert insights tailored to your setting.

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Barker and Let’s Go Zero are joining forces to offer a relaxed but focused drop-in clinic for education leaders who want 1-2-1 advice on all things sustainability and decarbonisation.

Whether you’re just starting to think about your net zero ambitions or you're deep in delivery and need support with the next step, this is your chance to get expert insights tailored to your setting.

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Tom Dickinson, alongside his role as MD at OSI, is also a motivational speaker and founder of Tom’s Talks.

Tom delivers impactful mental health and motivational talks in schools and businesses across the UK. After tragically losing his brother to suicide in 2015, Tom made it his mission to raise awareness around mental health and show others that no matter how tough life gets, there is always hope. He shares his story in the hope of preventing what happened to his family from happening to anyone else.

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Discussion topic: How to ensure your escape doors are compliant

Discussion topic: The impact of an estates strategy in practice

Discussion topic: Prioritising spend in school estates

Discussion topic: Developing your estates team - a practical approach

Discussion topic: Getting to Baseline - a lived experience

Discussion topic: Identifying climate risks