Why Collaboration, Community and Purposeful EdTech Matter More Than Ever
M.E.E.T. 2026: Bringing the education community together here in Derby!
This March, we were incredibly proud to deliver our biggest and most impactful M.E.E.T. (Midlands Education, EdTech & Technology) event to date – bringing together hundreds of educators, school leaders, innovators and partners from across the region and beyond.
Hosted in Derby and organised by L.E.A.D. IT Services, this year’s event marked a major milestone as we joined forces with MATNetworks to create a truly powerful, combined conference and exhibition. The result? A buzzing, high-energy day built around collaboration, innovation and a shared commitment to improving outcomes for children.
A Main Stage full of inspiration
We welcomed an outstanding line-up of speakers who brought insight, challenge and inspiration to the main stage.
Leading education visionary Dr Fiona Aubrey-Smith delivered a powerful keynote, encouraging delegates to rethink the role of technology in education – shifting from ‘ed tech’ to ‘ped tech’, where pedagogy leads and technology supports meaningful learning.
We were also delighted to welcome Dr Paul Heery, CEO of White Hills Park Trust and a Government-appointed advisor, who shared valuable perspectives on school improvement and the role of national initiatives such as RISE in supporting schools.
Dr Heery said:
This event is about wider networks, it’s about bringing people together. What’s nice is that you’ve got people who work with schools as well as in schools.
The link is the children. When I talk to schools, particularly those which are trying to improve, one of the things we talk about is how to access data and how to use it.
Adding a unique and engaging dimension to the day, educator and TV personality Baasit Siddiqui returned to M.E.E.T. – this time as a speaker – bringing his passion for education, inclusion and community to the stage.
He said:
I came last year as an attendee so to be on the stage and being given the opportunity to share my insights and the wonderful work that I’m able to do because of brilliant sponsors was a real joy. For me, it was, again, a fantastic opportunity to learn, gain new insights, and network with some brilliant educators. I really value that opportunity to be able to do that.
There were so many conversations happening between educators, education, support providers and policymakers. It was just wonderful to see this education ecosystem within my community.
Practical Insights, Real Impact
Beyond the main stage, the event was packed with practical breakout sessions and hands-on experiences designed to give delegates ideas they could take straight back into their schools.
Sessions explored:
- The effective use of AI in education
- Hands-on demonstrations with 3D printing and immersive technologies
- Real-world strategies for improving outcomes through digital innovation
The exhibition space was equally vibrant, showcasing leading education technology providers and giving schools direct access to tools, ideas and expertise.
Sam Wilkinson from Elementary Technology said:
I think the event is amazing. There have been so many people here. Everybody has been really responsive – it’s organised incredibly well, it’s good to see like-minded people sharing really good ideas for education.
Collaboration at the Heart of Everything
What made M.E.E.T. 2026 truly special wasn’t just the speakers or the technology – it was the people.
Throughout the day, the venue was alive with conversation. School leaders, teachers, trust teams, suppliers and policymakers came together to share ideas, challenges and successes.
Matt Crawford, CEO of Embark Federation, said:
If you can take one or two ideas from an event such as this that you can then take back and practice, then it’s more than worth the effort to go along.
As a trust, we’ve taken so many ideas on board, so I think we’ve benefited from others a lot. We’ve tried to do our bit and share back as well.
Martin Stephens, SENCO at Weston-on-Trent CE Primary School, added:
The MEET event was great. I got so much from it. I met several suppliers who we would be interested in working with at our school, and I thought the talks on the day were very interesting.
It can be easy for teachers and heads to be caught up in their day at school because it is always extremely busy but you can get such a lot out of an event like this. Normally you would have to travel to a big city like Birmingham or London so it was great to have it on the doorstep.
We were especially proud to see students take to the stage – sharing performances and demonstrating how technology is enhancing their learning – bringing the impact of education technology to life in the most meaningful way.
A growing event with a clear purpose
M.E.E.T. was created with a clear goal: to bring schools and trusts together to collaborate, innovate and strengthen their digital foundations.
This year’s partnership with MATNetworks enabled us to expand that vision even further—creating a space where strategic leadership and practical delivery came together seamlessly.
Thank You – and what’s next
L.E.A.D. IT Services Director Lee Jepson said:
We set up M.E.E.T. to bring together different schools and multi-academy trusts and allow them to collaborate. Combining with MATNetworks this year was a great opportunity to make it bigger and better! Hearing the conversations and feeling the energy in the room was a great endorsement of our collaborative education family here in Derbyshire – all working hard to give children the best start. Thank you to everyone who came and we look forward to next year!
We’d like to thank everyone who made M.E.E.T. 2026 such a success – our speakers, exhibitors, partners, and every delegate who joined us.
As organisers, we are incredibly proud of what M.E.E.T. has become – and even more excited about where it goes next.
