You have probably read about the recent Bell Review, with its clarion call for school leaders to better safeguard children from antisemitic abuse, hate and violence.
You may even have read it and thought about how its 27 recommendations, each one fully accepted by the government, might work in practice.
But you might have shrugged your shoulders, sighed and said to yourself: here we go again, another well-meaning set of recommendations and suggestions that nobody will take very seriously.
However, there is reason to hope that this latest initiative could in fact be the beginning of real change for Jewish children.
Because the review makes abundantly clear that, in schools, antisemitism is a safeguarding issue – and that immediately gives it considerable weight.
It means, for the first time ever, that school inspectors in both the state and independent sector must evaluate schools on how effectively they safeguard all children from the harms of antisemitism.
Safeguarding isn’t a buzzword. It is a set of approaches and procedures, underpinned by legal duties, to ensure all children are safe in school.
Everyone working in a school is responsible for safeguarding children, and all staff face serious disciplinary consequences if they fail to address abuse.
Much of the time, this is about protecting children from physical, emotional or sexual abuse, including when this abuse takes place online. It therefore has its own reporting and action systems, and a designated safeguarding lead who receives ongoing training in how to keep all children safe.
In short, schools take safeguarding very seriously. Making clear that antisemitism is a safeguarding issue brings it firmly within schools legal responsibility to protect children.
That is why we at Safe to Learn were so pleased to see so much of what we had recommended reflected in the review.
Our particular contribution is safeguarding. Others bring considerable expertise in areas such as Holocaust education, and the review rightly draws on their work.
Our parent organisation works internationally, helping schools, NGOs and other organisations keep young people safe.
When a UK programme focused on antisemitism was suggested, that experience meant we could speak to schools — and government — in language they understood, about responsibilities they already recognised.
Above all, it meant we could help schools prepare before a crisis happened. Supporting families and teachers when things go wrong is essential. We want to change the everyday workings of schools, so that recognising and responding to antisemitism becomes part of what every school is expected to do.
That means having clear policies, staff who understand how to put them into practice, and leaders who check that they are effective.
Schools take these responsibilities seriously. They also know that inspectors will want to see evidence that their arrangements protect children and that risks are recognised and mitigated.
Our resources include model policies and a practical handbook to help schools turn those policies into action.
We also offer a route for parents to contact us, and guidance on approaching a school when they believe their child is experiencing antisemitism.
We are passionately committed to making every school a place where Jewish children feel safe and supported. Clear policies, properly followed, help make that possible.
A child’s safety should be something the whole school takes responsibility for, every day.
Nobody working in education should be a bystander to antisemitic hate and every child should be safe to learn free from fear, discrimination, exclusion and hate.
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