It’s been a landmark week for us at Oasis Academy Arena and our newly launched Oasis Community Space, as Croydon came together to celebrate both the opening of our vital new hub for local families and the borough’s pride in Crystal Palace FC’s FA Cup victory.
On Monday 13th October, we officially unveiled our vibrant new community space designed to support young people and families across Croydon. The launch event welcomed local residents, pupils, and community leaders to explore the transformed facility, which will host youth programmes, family services, and activities in partnership with Palace for Life Foundation, the official charity of Crystal Palace FC and Reaching Higher, a dynamic youth charity working in the borough
To kick off the festivities, guests enjoyed a performance from the Oasis Academy Ryelands choir, who were warmly introduced by Natasha Irons, MP for Croydon East.
Speaking on the community space, Irons said: “We’re so lucky to have such a wonderful community facility right on our doorstep – for the wider community but especially for our young people. There’s no plan more important or more long term than looking after them and making sure that the opportunities they have in school are supported and strengthened by what they do outside of school.”
“Having a partner like Oasis, which has a massive footprint in our borough, makes a real difference. Oasis works with local organisations such as Reaching Higher and Palace for Life to build a village and a community, bringing us all together no matter who we are or where we come from.”
Natasha Irons MP.
The night also included speeches from Rev. Steve Chalke MBE, Founder of Oasis Charitable Trust, and Mike Summers, Paul Cleal OBE, CEO of the Palace for Life Foundation. Both speakers emphasised the power of collaboration between schools, charities, and local government in creating lasting change.
"Our children spend less than 20% of their waking hours in school. That is why safe spaces, ran by trusted partners and based in their own communities like this are so important. Communities know their children, their challenges and their opportunities the best. This partnership between Oasis, Palace for Life and Reaching Higher is a fantastic example of how we can all work together to fulfil the potential of every child.” said Oasis Founder, Rev. Steve Chalke OBE.
Mike Summers, CEO of Palace for Life Foundation said: “Palace for Life has a strong partnership with Oasis across local schools, and this new community space gives us the opportunity to deepen that work from Premier League Kicks sessions to mentoring and education programmes.
“By working together we can help young people, particularly those from the toughest backgrounds, to build brighter futures.”
Families then took part in ping pong with Palace coaches, arts and crafts led by the Oasis team, and a prize draw featuring standout Palace-themed prizes presented by former Crystal Palace player, Sean Scannell, who also concluded the evening by cutting the ribbon on our community space’s new entrance.
Prize winners received a football signed by Crystal Palace FC’s men’s team - including Croydon-born star Eberechi Eze, who played a pivotal role in Palace’s recent FA Cup triumph and tickets to a Palace Women’s match.
Sean Scannell.
The celebrations continued on Tuesday 14th October, when both the FA Cup trophy and Community Shield made a special visit to our academy! Our students had the chance to take photos with the iconic silverware and relive both of Palace’s historic FA Cup 1–0 win over Manchester City, where Eze scored the winning goal and goalkeeper Dean Henderson made a dramatic penalty save, and their following Community Shield win against Liverpool.
“This week shows what’s possible when schools and communities come together,” said Ms J Bell, Principal of Oasis Academy Arena. "Oasis Academy Arena is a hidden gem in the heart of South Norwood, and our new Oasis Arena Community Space will help many more young people in our community discover Croydon's best kept secret. We've developed fantastic relationships with Reaching Higher and Palace for Life, partners that we know drive not only great opportunities for our students but also have a positive impact on their outcomes too. This is a welcome addition to our village, as we all continue to shape our young people to become confident, capable and continuingly thriving adults.”
Since November 2024, Palace for Life Foundation has worked with our academy to deliver weekly football sessions for children aged 8–18, alongside mentoring and educational support. The new community space will allow these programmes to grow and reach even more Croydon families.
