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Pre-Register NOW for 2025 Group Tickets

Pre-registered schools will be at the front of the queue

Step Up Expo is now taking reservations for 2025 group tickets. Pre-registered schools will be at the front of the queue, getting confirmed slots in January before tickets go on general release in February.

Pre-Register now to reserve a slot for your school group. It's very easy - at this stage you just fill in a short form estimating numbers, and telling us a little about who you would like to bring.

Our schools co-ordinator will be in touch in late January to confirm your priority booking.

Step Up has a particular mission to help disadvantaged teenagers in London and the South East make education, career and life choices. Group tickets are FREE.

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The Expo for Teens
Education & Career Choices, plus Life Skills

Friday 27 June 9:00am-3:30pm | Saturday 28 June 2025 10am-3:30pm @ Olympia West, London
The FREE two-day Step Up Expo features three main content zones

life choices

Life Skills

Practical advice and support on the issues facing teenagers today, including:

  • Building financial confidence
  • Tackling a lost mindset
  • Turning your passion into a pay cheque
  • Why failure can be good – stepping outside your comfort zone
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Education Choices

Helping teenagers and parents through the minefield of education choices from GCSEs to degrees:

  • How best to revise for GCSEs
  • Should I move schools or college after my GCSEs?
  • A-Levels, T-Levels, BTEC or IB?
  • Should I go to university?
  • What’s it like to study at Oxbridge?
  • What university access programmes are available?
Metropolitan Police

Career Choices

Explore the different pathways towards work:

  • What skills are employers looking for?
  • Earn & learn: the apprenticeship route
  • Careers in finance and the City
  • Should I get a part-time job?
  • Careers of the future: robots, AI and the metaverse
Quiet Afternoon

From 13:30 to 15:30 on Friday, we have a dedicated time for schools and parents bringing teenagers with additional needs.

The Expo remains open to mainstream students and parents, but the departure of the large school groups will create a calm atmosphere for this important group of students.

The afternoon talks on Friday focus on education and career opportunities for teenagers with additional needs.

What's New

Discuss your career and education choices, and develop life skills.

Plan your next steps with London’s leading 16+ sixth forms & FE colleges, discuss your 18+ options with universities, employers & training providers.

Inspirational Exhibitors

STEP UP brings together a unique mix of schools, colleges, universities and employers.
The EXPO aims to give London teenagers access to a whole spectrum of education, training & career choices.
Bonas MacFarlane Arts

Bonas MacFarlane Arts

London, England
+44 (0)20 7731 7489
University of the Arts, London

University of the Arts, London

London, England
Arts University Plymouth

Arts University Plymouth

Plymouth, England
01752 203343
Ada, National College for Digital Skills

Ada, National College for Digital Skills

London, England
0203 1050 123
Spark!

Spark!

London, England
07903 499617
UK Sailing Academy (UKSA)

UK Sailing Academy (UKSA)

London, England
01983 203045
United Colleges Group

United Colleges Group

020 7723 8826
Bonas MacFarlane

Bonas MacFarlane

London, England
+44 (0) 207 034 0800
FutureLearn

FutureLearn

London, England
Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO London)

Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO London)

London, England
+44 (0) 207 400 0400
Investin

Investin

+44 (0)20 3488 5089

Inspirational Exhibitors

Step Up Expo brings together a unique mix of schools, colleges, universities and employers, giving London teenagers access to a whole spectrum of education, training and career choices.

Find out more.

Unilever

Unilever

London, England
08000280173
Good Schools Guide

Good Schools Guide

London, England
+44 (0)203 286 6824
Arts University Plymouth

Arts University Plymouth

Plymouth, England
01752 203343
Solent University Southampton

Solent University Southampton

Southampton, England
023 8201 5066
Sutton Trust

Sutton Trust

London, England
DeMontfort University

DeMontfort University

Leicester, England
0116 250 6070
United Colleges Group

United Colleges Group

020 7723 8826
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

London, England
020 7955 6613
Bangor University

Bangor University

Bangor, North Wales
Bonas MacFarlane

Bonas MacFarlane

London, England
+44 (0) 207 034 0800
MetFilm School

MetFilm School

London, England
020 8280 9119
Access Creative College

Access Creative College

London, England
0207 613 8380
UK Sailing Academy (UKSA)

UK Sailing Academy (UKSA)

London, England
01983 203045
The Mix

The Mix

London, England
020 7009 2500
Not Going to Uni

Not Going to Uni

Waltham Abbey, England
0203 691 2800
London Metropolitan College

London Metropolitan College

London, England
0208 0757480
Teesside University London

Teesside University London

London, England
020 3960 9330

Step Up News

Step Up is a new multi-platform initiative by the Evening Standard to help London’s parents navigate the education landscape and inspire young Londoners to think about their futures.

February 01, 2024
Standard urges swift action to address the challenges facing children and teenagers in our city in an open letter to the Government, Labour and London…

Get young Londoners the support they need

November 21, 2023
London students struggle to get work experience in offices because so many people are working from home, the head of a major college group warned.…

Students 'struggling to secure work experience in offices because so many people work from home'

October 03, 2023
Experts from the world of education gathered at the Evening Standard’s Liverpool Street headquarters. Read more

Poor students ‘likelier to opt for universities close to home’ data reveals

July 03, 2023
The Evening Standard’s two-day Step Up Expo gave young people access to experts from school sixth forms, universities, colleges, and employers. Read more

Step Up Expo: 5,000 teenagers visit Olympia London

Inspirational Speakers

Step Up Expo brings together a unique mix of celebrities, influential teenagers, educators & employers

In Partnership With

WorldSkills UK
unifrog

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Education Choices
Good Schools Guide
Spark! Kick Starting Careers
Not Going to Uni
Find out more about our partners

Keep Informed