Sir David Bell, the former chief inspector of Ofsted, found in an independent government-commissioned review that three out of five Jewish students in English schools and colleges experienced antisemitism. The report recommends that schools and colleges treat antisemitism as a distinct category of harm.
Bell's review identified widespread cases of antisemitism that went unreported or unchallenged by both students and teachers. The government is expected to accept the review's recommendations, which would require schools to adopt a tougher approach to addressing antisemitism.
The findings point to systemic gaps in how educational institutions currently handle antisemitic incidents. Bell was specifically commissioned by the government to investigate antisemitism in schools, suggesting this issue has become a priority for policymakers.
The recommendation to classify antisemitism as its own category of harm differs from treating it as a general form of bullying or prejudice. This distinction would likely require schools to develop specific protocols, training and reporting mechanisms focused on antisemitic incidents rather than grouping them with other forms of discrimination.