Independent Schools Show
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Independent Schools Show does
Independent Schools Show, operated by Next Step Exhibitions Ltd (UK private limited company, Company Reg. # 5907629), is a termly exhibition and content platform that connects families with UK and international independent schools. Founded in 2006 by David Wellesley Wesley and now led by Group Show Director Ben Hitchman, the company runs three London shows annually at RHS Lindley Hall (Westminster) plus international editions across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Miami, and New York. Families attend free of charge with advance registration; the company monetises through exhibitor fees paid by schools and sponsorship packages sold to education-adjacent brands (Think Academy, Tatler, Good Schools Guide, The Week, Sunday Times, BSA). Supporting digital products include Scholato (an age-banded educational guidance hub), the ISS School and Speaker Directories (searchable online databases covering 572 schools and 411 speakers), and the ISS YouTube Channel (archived event talks).
The underlying technology is intentionally light: ISS is an event organiser and information aggregator, not a software business. The most distinct digital surface is AgentsConnect, a termly online 1:1 speed-networking service (built on RingCentral Events) that links vetted education agents with Club ISS member schools; 230 meetings were held in the Autumn 2025 session. Distribution is overwhelmingly physical-event driven, with digital channels (YouTube, Instagram, blog, email newsletter) functioning as marketing and content-amplification layers rather than core revenue drivers. The strategic moat rests on 20 years of brand equity in UK independent education, a multi-city international venue footprint, and a two-sided network of schools and BSA-certified agents.
Independent Schools Show firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Independent Schools Show
- Legal name
- Next Step Exhibitions Ltd
- Website
- https://schoolsshow.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Independent Schools Show industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Education Fairs & Exhibitions
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Family, Kids & Education Fairs (MPAGAFAH)
Keywords
Where Independent Schools Show is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
Independent Schools Show business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Exhibitor Fees: Schools pay to exhibit at the Independent Schools Show events, both in London and internationally. The show also generates revenue through sponsorship packages from education-related partners including Think Academy, Tatler, Good Schools Guide, and others.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free admission for families |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Independent Schools Show product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Independent Schools Show operates in-person event exhibitions in London and select international cities that bring together independent schools and prospective families. Schools pay to exhibit and engage directly with families, while families attend free of charge to meet school representatives, attend expert-led seminars, and access educational information and resources. The show is operated through Next Step Exhibitions Ltd, a UK private limited company founded in 2006.
Product overview
The Independent Schools Show operates as a multi-format event and content platform connecting families with independent schools. The core offering consists of termly London exhibitions (Autumn, Spring, Summer) at RHS Lindley Hall, supplemented by international events across seven global cities (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Miami, New York). Supporting digital products include Scholato (age-organised educational guidance content), the ISS School and Speaker Directories (searchable databases), AgentsConnect (termly online 1:1 networking for vetted agents and member schools), and the ISS YouTube Channel (archived educational talks). The company functions as an event organiser and information aggregator rather than a software-as-a-service platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ISS AgentsConnect: Termly online 1:1 speed networking programme connecting vetted agents and Club ISS Member schools.
Products and services
- ISS London Exhibitions
- ISS Worldwide International Shows
- AgentsConnect
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 60,000 visitors have been studied to understand changing demand for UK private education
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Independent Schools Show
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Independent Schools Show technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Independent Schools Show partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Boarding Schools' Association (BSA)corePartnership with the Boarding Schools' Association designed to deliver greater value for BSA Certified Agents and help BSA member schools recruit international students. The 2026 BSA Alliance represents a significant strategic partnership for ISS.
- Think AcademymajorThink Academy is a sponsor and exhibitor at ISS events, serving over 70,000 UK families and supporting 2,000+ students each year in securing offers from leading independent and grammar schools.
- MuddyminorMedia partner and sponsor of ISS events, providing coverage of independent schools.
- Good Schools GuideminorSponsor partner providing independent school guidance and reviews.
- TatlerminorSponsor partner through Tatler Schools Guide for editorial coverage.
- The WeekminorMedia sponsor providing editorial coverage of independent education.
- Sunday TimesminorMedia sponsor for school rankings and education coverage.
- Bonas MacFarlaneminorSponsor and exhibitor, providing educational consulting services for families seeking UK independent schools.
- JJ ClubminorSponsor partner serving families seeking educational services.
- Club ISScoreClub ISS is the platform for vetted education agents to access exclusive networking events and connect with member schools.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Independent Schools Show competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Mumsnet: UK parent community and content platform with school comparison threads and advice; overlaps with ISS on the family-decision-maker audience but substitutes digital content for physical events.
- Tatler Schools Guide: Editorial school guide published annually by Tatler; an existing ISS sponsor and overlapping audience of premium UK families, but distribution is editorial rather than event-based.
Broad incumbents
- Going Global (British Council): British Council-run international education conference for institutional leaders, sharing ISS's international education stakeholder audience though focused on higher education and policy.
- Bett Show (Hyve Group): Large-scale education technology exhibition operated by Hyve Group; competes for education marketing budgets and venue calendars, though focused on EdTech rather than K-12 school recruitment.
Emerging players
- The PIE (Professionals in International Education): Media and events business serving international education recruiters and agents, with overlapping audiences in the UK international student placement space.
- Schrole: SaaS platform for international school recruitment, including teacher hiring and admissions tools; a digital alternative to ISS's in-person school-agent matching value proposition.
Direct peers
- QS Quacquarelli Symonds: Global education analytics and events company that operates QS World Grad School Tour and MBA fairs, sharing ISS's business model of monetising exhibitor fees and connecting educational institutions with prospective students and families.
- The Good Schools Guide: Long-established independent UK directory and review platform for independent schools; an existing ISS sponsor partner but also a competing information source for families comparing schools.
- ICEF: International Consultants for Education and Fairs runs global education agent fairs and ICEF Workshops, mirroring ISS's AgentsConnect model of connecting vetted agents with schools through structured networking.
Regional players
- NACE (National Association for College Admission Counseling): US-based college admissions organisation operating college fairs and counsellor events; comparable events-driven business model for school recruitment, but US-focused rather than UK.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Independent Schools Show social profiles
Digital presenceIndependent Schools Show financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Independent Schools Show leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Independent Schools Show funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Independent Schools Show M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Independent Schools Show
What does Independent Schools Show do?
The Independent Schools Show operates in-person event exhibitions in London and select international cities that bring together independent schools and prospective families. Schools pay to exhibit and engage directly with families, while families attend free of charge to meet school representatives, attend expert-led seminars, and access educational information and resources. The show is operated through Next Step Exhibitions Ltd, a UK private limited company founded in 2006.
Is Independent Schools Show a public or private company?
Independent Schools Show is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Independent Schools Show founded?
Independent Schools Show was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Independent Schools Show based?
Independent Schools Show is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Independent Schools Show make money?
One revenue line is on record: exhibitor Fees.
Who are Independent Schools Show's main competitors?
Others on record are Mumsnet and Tatler Schools Guide. Broad incumbents are Going Global (British Council) and Bett Show (Hyve Group). Emerging players are The PIE (Professionals in International Education) and Schrole. Direct peers are QS Quacquarelli Symonds, The Good Schools Guide and ICEF. NACE (National Association for College Admission Counseling) is listed as a regional player.
Does Independent Schools Show have an API?
No public API is recorded for Independent Schools Show.
What industry is Independent Schools Show in?
Independent Schools Show's product category is Education Fairs & Exhibitions. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAFAH, Family, Kids & Education Fairs. Its SIC code is 7990.