Coram at Mission 44’s roundtable on school exclusions

On 15 May, representatives from Coram were delighted to be invited to attend a special roundtable event at Oasis Academy South Bank alongside seven-time Formula One World Champion Sir Lewis Hamilton and his charity, Mission 44.

The visit formed part of Mission 44’s work to tackle school exclusions and create a more inclusive education system through its “Nothing Happens in Isolation” campaign and Preventing Exclusions Fund. The programme supports schools, charities and young people across the UK to address the root causes of exclusion, including discrimination, unmet special educational needs, poverty and mental health challenges.

Representing Coram at the event were Senior Education Lawyer Sabrina Simpson and Young Ambassador Kaylah Ramsey. Together, they joined young people, educators and organisations from the Preventing Exclusion Fund partnership to share experiences and discuss practical solutions for reducing exclusions and improving outcomes for children and young people.

Coram Young Ambassador Kaylah Speaks with Sir Lewis Hamilton

Kaylah spoke powerfully about her own experiences in education, reflecting on the challenges she faced and the barriers she overcame. She highlighted the importance of schools creating genuinely inclusive environments, building trusted relationships with students and working collaboratively with parents, carers and families — particularly those who may themselves have had difficult experiences of education.

Sabrina Simpson, who has previously been nominated for Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year for her work supporting children facing exclusion, spoke about her extensive advocacy for young people excluded from school. She discussed the landmark High Court case that helped establish access to Exceptional Case Funding (legal aid) for children challenging school exclusions where discrimination is a factor. Sabrina also highlighted the findings of Coram’s report, Fairness in School Exclusions: A Roadmap for Change, which draws on frontline casework and demonstrates how children with the greatest levels of need are often those most likely to lose access to education.

The roundtable concluded with Kaylah reading her poem from the youth-led zine Excluded but not Unheard, which amplifies the voices and lived experiences of young people affected by exclusion. In a memorable moment, Lewis Hamilton personally asked Kaylah for a signed copy of the publication.

Programme Manager Julia Mayer reflected on the day, saying:

It was such a special day. It was inspiring to hear from young people across organisations supported through the Preventing Exclusions Fund.

It was also amazing to meet Lewis Hamilton and for Kaylah and Sabrina to showcase the incredible work they have been doing with Coram.