Schools will have teaching tools provided to address the Israel-Palestine conflict, under recommendations in a major new report on antisemitism in education.
Authored by Sir David Bell, formerly the top civil servant at the Department for Education (DfE) and now vice-chancellor of the University of Sunderland, the review also found that three in five Jewish pupils aged 16 to19 have experienced antisemitism at school or college.
There are 27 main recommendations, among them that DfE should “develop, quality assure and publish” resources to help schools combat antisemitism, all of which have been accepted by the government.
The material should include “guidance and materials to help all staff discuss controversial issues and respond to significant global events, particularly those relating to the Israel-Palestine conflict and contemporary antisemitism”.
The report also urges careful consideration of “the time, place, and manner of political expression (including in relation to staff dress codes and pupil uniform policies)” with a view to “ensuring that the wearing or displaying of political symbols, flags, or slogans, and the expression of political views” is consistent with “promoting respectful dialogue, inclusion and engagement”.
Bell recommended that all schools mark Holocaust Memorial Day “supported by secure historical understanding” and adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.
He said: “No review of this kind should be necessary. Yet at a time when antisemitism has become increasingly visible in our schools and colleges, communities and public life, it is not only necessary but urgent.
“My work was commissioned against a backdrop of growing concerns about antisemitism in England and across the UK, not least following several high-profile attacks on our country's Jewish communities.
“I hope that my review and its recommendation will have a positive impact by reducing antisemitic incidents in schools and colleges.
“At the same time, and throughout, I have been seized of the importance of fostering greater confidence, stronger leadership, improved understanding, and a culture in which antisemitism is challenged consistently, and inclusion is experienced by all.”
The government has accepted all 27 of the report’s recommendations.
Education Secretary Lucy Powell said: “Sir David Bell's review is a seminal piece of work that lays bare the scale and prevalence of antisemitism in British society and how that is reflected in our education system.
“I thank him for the care and dedication he has shown in leading this review, as well as everyone who contributed their views and experiences.
“His important report paints a picture of widespread, often casual and unreported, antisemitic views and an alarming number of antisemitic incidents in schools and colleges.
“Sir David is clear that the rise in antisemitism - especially the contemporary forms it takes, including when linked to the conflict in the Middle East - can no longer be ignored and must be confronted head-on.
“This is a generational moment, one we must seize together, both to root out antisemitism in schools and colleges, but perhaps more importantly to educate this generation and the next on what contemporary antisemitism is, why it's wrong, and the real and historic impacts of what happens when societies allow it to take hold.”
She added: “The government accepts all 27 recommendations from Sir David Bell's independent review.
“This includes adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism in schools and colleges, and developing and rolling out high-quality training, good practice guidance and practical resources to help settings understand and tackle antisemitism.
“This government will not rest until these recommendations are enacted, and I have asked Sir David to do a one-year-on review to assess progress.”
Speaking in the House of Commons regarding the review, Powell also apologised that details of the report had appeared in some media outlets prior to it being set out in parliament on Wednesday, confirming that a leak inquiry had been opened into the matter.
A spokesperson for the Board of Deputies said: “We welcome the recommendations of Sir David Bell to tackle antisemitism in schools and colleges and the commitment of the Secretary of State for Education to implement them.
“The struggle against extremism and antisemitism begins with education, so we must get this right in schools. This is not just about protecting Jewish pupils and staff, but protecting all our children from hateful and extremist ideas, and supporting schools to tackle them where they arise.”
A spokesperson for the Jewish Leadership Council said: “Antisemitism within schools and colleges has been one of the most distressing aspects of the tidal wave of anti-Jewish hatred experienced by Jewish communities over the past three years.
“We are grateful to Sir David Bell for producing this comprehensive report, to the former Secretary of State, Bridget Phillipson, for commissioning it, and to the Secretary of State, Lucy Powell, for accepting all its vital recommendations.
“These must now be implemented at pace to ensure that Jewish children can attend school and learn without fear, just like every other child.”
The report was also welcomed by the Movement for Progressive Judaism, whose co-leads, Rabbis Charley Baginsky and Josh Levy, highlighted the importance of expanding teaching about the community beyond Holocaust education.
“Sir David Bell’s important review exposes serious failures in how schools recognise and respond to antisemitism,” they said.
“We cannot expect Jewish children to feel they belong if we fail to recognise just how many different ways there are to be Jewish.”
To get more news, click here to sign up for our free daily newsletter.