Trade Show

Tes SEND Show North 2027: The Essential Guide

Feb 5-6, 2027 · Manchester, United Kingdom · 4 min read

The North's largest SEND event returns to Manchester on 5-6 February 2027. Here's what SENCos, school leaders, and SEND professionals need to know before attending.

The North's largest SEND event is back. Tes SEND Show North 2027 runs on 5-6 February 2027 at Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester, bringing together the professionals, practitioners, and suppliers who shape inclusive education across the region. With over 60 exhibitors, 30+ CPD-certified seminars, and a free-to-attend format, this is one of the most accessible and genuinely useful events on the SEND calendar. You can also explore the full event details on Tes SEND Show North 2027 on TradeShowIntel.

Who Comes to Tes SEND Show North 2027: SENCos, Commissioners, and the Wider SEND Community

The audience here is tightly focused, and that's exactly what makes it valuable. This isn't a general education conference where SEND is one track among many. The people in the room are specialists.

• SENCos are the core audience, attending to find practical tools, update their knowledge, and meet suppliers who understand their specific challenges.
• School leaders and headteachers come to assess provision, explore assistive technology, and understand their statutory responsibilities in greater depth.
• Local authority commissioners attend to evaluate alternative provision options and connect with therapy and mental health support services.
• Therapists and CAMHS professionals use the show to find resources, network with education colleagues, and engage with the latest thinking on joined-up SEND support.

The cross-sector mix of education, health, and local authority professionals is one of this event's defining strengths. Conversations here cut across the silos that often slow down support for children with SEND.

What to Expect on the Floor at Tes SEND Show North 2027

With 60+ specialist exhibitors, the show floor covers the full range of products and services that SEND professionals actively seek out. Expect to find:

• Assistive technology providers showcasing tools for communication, literacy, and sensory needs
• Educational resources tailored to learners with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning differences
• Therapy and mental health support services, including speech and language, occupational therapy, and CAMHS-adjacent provision
• Alternative provision specialists offering solutions for pupils who need education outside mainstream settings

The free exhibitor theatre adds another layer of value, giving suppliers a platform to present their work in a seminar-style format. Alongside this, the 30+ CPD-certified seminars run across both days, covering expert-led content directly relevant to SEND practice. For visitors, this means the event functions as both a marketplace and a professional development day rolled into one.

Exhibitor Tips for Tes SEND Show North 2027: Reaching SENCos and Decision-Makers

Know your buyer's paperwork burden. SENCos operate under significant administrative and statutory pressure. If your product reduces time spent on EHCP documentation, provision mapping, or reporting, lead with that. A SENCo who can see a direct link between your solution and hours saved will engage far more quickly than one presented with a general capability overview.

The 70% rebook rate from 2026 exhibitors tells you something important: the audience quality here is real. But returning exhibitors also mean more competition for attention. If you're selling assistive technology, don't just demo the product. Bring case studies from schools in the North of England specifically. A headteacher from Salford or Leeds will respond to evidence from a school context they recognise.

If you're exhibiting with a team, capturing every conversation accurately is harder than it sounds across two busy days. The Habsy App lets you record a quick voice note after each conversation, tagging the contact's role, interest level, and what follow-up was promised. By the time the show closes, your lead list is already structured and ready, rather than a pile of business cards with fading context.

Visitor Tips for SENCos and SEND Professionals at Tes SEND Show North 2027

The 30+ CPD seminars are a genuine draw, but they fill up. Before you arrive, check the seminar schedule on the official site and identify your priority sessions. If you're a SENCo managing a complex caseload, the sessions most relevant to EHCP processes, tribunal preparation, or multi-agency working will likely be the busiest. Plan around those first, then build your exhibitor visits around the gaps.

A common mistake visitors make at specialist shows like this is treating the exhibitor floor as secondary to the seminar programme. The therapy and mental health support providers on the floor often include smaller, specialist organisations you won't find through a standard procurement search. Block out at least a full morning or afternoon with no seminar commitments, and use that time to have proper conversations rather than quick passes.

If you're collecting information from multiple exhibitors across two days, keeping track of who said what becomes genuinely difficult. The Habsy App lets you scan a supplier's business card on the spot and add a typed or voice note about what you discussed, so your post-show evaluation isn't based on memory alone.

Why Tes SEND Show North 2027 Deserves a Place in Your Professional Calendar

For anyone working in SEND education across the North of England, this event is one of the few places where the full ecosystem, schools, local authorities, therapists, and specialist suppliers, comes together in one room. It's free to attend, CPD-certified, and built around the specific challenges that SEND professionals face every day.

The combination of expert seminars, a live exhibitor floor, and genuine peer networking makes Tes SEND Show North 2027 worth the trip to Manchester. Register early, plan your seminar schedule in advance, and go in with clear questions for the suppliers you want to meet.

Before the show, set up the Habsy Platform to organise your team's contacts and follow-up actions in one shared dashboard. It takes minutes to configure and means your post-show outreach starts the moment you leave Old Trafford.

Frequently asked questions

Is Tes SEND Show North 2027 free to attend?

Yes, Tes SEND Show North 2027 is free to attend for visitors. Registration is available through the official event website at tessendshownorth.co.uk.

Where exactly is Tes SEND Show North 2027 held?

The event is held at Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Talbot Rd, Old Trafford, Stretford, Manchester, M16 0PX. The venue is in the Old Trafford area of Stretford, just outside Manchester city centre.

How many CPD seminars are at Tes SEND Show North 2027?

Tes SEND Show North 2027 features over 30 CPD-certified seminars running across both days of the event. Seminar slots can fill up quickly, so checking the schedule in advance is recommended.

Does Tes SEND Show North run every year?

Tes SEND Show North does not have a confirmed annual recurrence listed for beyond 2027. Checking the official site at tessendshownorth.co.uk is the best way to stay updated on future editions.

Is Tes SEND Show North 2027 a B2B event or open to the public?

Tes SEND Show North 2027 is a B2B event aimed at education and SEND professionals, including SENCos, school leaders, therapists, and local authority commissioners. It is not a consumer-facing event.

What types of exhibitors are at Tes SEND Show North 2027?

Exhibitors cover assistive technology, educational resources, therapy and mental health support services, and alternative provision specialists. There are 60+ exhibitors in total, all focused on the SEND sector.

Is Tes SEND Show North 2027 worth exhibiting at for assistive technology companies?

The show draws a highly targeted audience of SENCos and school leaders who are actively seeking SEND solutions, making it relevant for assistive technology providers. The 2026 edition saw a 70% exhibitor rebook rate and all stands sold out, which indicates strong demand from suppliers in this space.

What is the best way to capture leads at Tes SEND Show North 2027?

With two busy days and 60+ exhibitors competing for attention, recording context against each conversation as it happens is more reliable than relying on business cards alone. [Habsy](https://habsy.ai/event-lead-capture?utm_source=tradeshowintel&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=tes-send-show-north-2027&utm_content=faq) lets exhibitors log voice notes and tag each lead by role and interest level on the spot, so the full lead list is structured and ready before the show closes.

Do local authority commissioners attend Tes SEND Show North 2027?

Yes, local authority commissioners are part of the confirmed visitor profile for Tes SEND Show North 2027. They attend to evaluate alternative provision options and connect with therapy and mental health support services.

Who organises Tes SEND Show North 2027?

The event is organised under the Tes brand, with further organiser details available at the official event website tessendshownorth.co.uk. No third-party co-organiser data is publicly listed for the 2027 edition.