Oasis Academy South Bank welcomed a very special visitor last week as Sir Lewis Hamilton spent the afternoon meeting students, staff and Mission 44’s newly appointed Youth Advisors.
The visit marked an important moment in Oasis’ ongoing partnership with Mission 44, the foundation Lewis Hamilton created to drive greater inclusion in education and ensure every young person feels they belong and can flourish in school.
Lewis visited us to hear first-hand how we have been working with Mission 44 through its ‘Nothing Happens in Isolation’ campaign, which aims to reduce school exclusions and strengthen inclusive practice across the country. Our students, teachers and leaders shared the progress made so far, including the impact of tailored mentoring programmes funded by Mission 44.
We have long been recognised for our inclusive ethos, welcoming every child regardless of starting point, need or complexity. The visit shone a spotlight on our academy’s commitment to ensuring all young people can succeed.
Lewis also met Mission 44’s new Youth Advisors, a group of 12 young people aged 16–23 who will help shape the charity’s priorities over the next three years. Several of the advisors have personal experience of exclusion or barriers in education, bringing powerful insight to Mission 44’s work.
Reflecting on the visit, Lewis said he left feeling “optimism and hope”, adding that inclusion in education is “crucial to unlocking potential” and that no young person should feel left behind.
Students who have taken part in the Oasis 360 mentoring programme, along with support from London‑based charity CAPE, which provides tailored mentoring to students at risk of exclusion, shared how these interventions have helped them stay engaged in school, build confidence and feel more understood. One Youth Advisor, Faysal, spoke about overcoming exclusion at 13 and now studying neuroscience at university, a reminder of what is possible when young people are supported, not written off.
As part of the roundtable discussion, Year 11 student Sam from Oasis Academy Arena and Prosper Karatunga, 360 Programme Manager, also joined the conversation to represent the Preventing Exclusions work that Mission 44 has funded across Oasis over the past three years.
Sam, who was seated next to Lewis during the roundtable, spoke about the difference the mentoring has made to his confidence, relationships and engagement in school. Prosper shared insights from delivering the programme at Arena and Ashburton Park, highlighting how consistent, trusted adult relationships can transform outcomes for young people at risk of exclusion.
Oasis Academy South Bank student and Youth Parliament member Salma, 14, said:
“I love being at a school that is so inclusive. It was amazing to meet Lewis and be in a space where young people’s experiences were genuinely listened to and taken seriously.”
Mission 44 CEO Jason Arthur emphasised the importance of long-term investment in inclusion, noting that “talent is everywhere, but opportunity still is not”.
The visit also marked one year since Lewis and Mission 44 leaders met with the Prime Minister and Education Secretary to call for stronger measures to support inclusion in schools.
For OASB, the day was a celebration of the academy’s values in action, community, belonging, and the belief that every young person can thrive when given the right support.