Lewis Hamilton meets UK Prime Minister in London

Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton met the United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street on Wednesday to discuss reforms in the education sector.

Hamilton was part of a roundtable with Starmer and Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson to support his foundation Mission 44, which he founded in 2021 to build an inclusive education system where every child is supported.

The discussion focused on what the government could do to support schools and increase pupil engagement.

It was agreed that the UK would create a framework by 2026 which will “provide guidance including case studies, to help schools monitor school experience and learn from what works. It will also highlight the importance of young people feeling included, so they can attend, enjoy and achieve.”

Further, the government will collect and publish annual data on pupils’ “sense of belonging, enjoyment and safety.”

A further commitment was made to collaborate with Mission 44 to recruit more teachers from diverse backgrounds, including ethnic minorities.

Hamilton stressed that his own experience prompted him to do something about the next generation of school-going children.

“I struggled in school and never felt like my voice was heard, that’s why I know first-hand that ensuring every student feels they belong in school is vital,” he said.

“I’m grateful that off the back of this meeting, the government has committed to working with Mission 44 to enact change focused on making the education system more inclusive. 

“I’m so proud of how far Mission 44 has come in such a short space of time and the opportunity we have to transform the lives of vulnerable students across the country.”

During the meeting, Hamilton was joined by several representatives of Mission 44, as well as teachers, young people and others working across the education system.

The prime minister also issued his remarks following the roundtable .

“One of the things Lewis and I talked about when we thought about the idea of getting something together like this was having young people in a position where they could use their voices and be heard.” said Starmer.

“I want to thank Lewis—this was his idea, this is his legacy. He’s inspired generations and is now using that influence on this project and is designed to make a real difference in the lives of young people across the country.

“I think we need to acknowledge we’re in a really challenging time for young people. A lot of children left school at the beginning of the COVID pandemic and haven’t gone back to school.

“The achievement gap between the richest and poorest is back to levels we haven’t seen since 2011. That’s shocking. Because I like to think we’re a country that always moves forwards. Always taking a step in the right direction. So when things start going backwards we know we have a real problem. 

“That’s why I’m really pleased we’re going to publish a best practice framework—to encourage students to enjoy learning, achieve their potential, and have confidence.”