UK Schools to Classify Antisemitism as Distinct Harm Following Review

Schools and colleges in England are expected to be required to recognize antisemitism as a distinct category of harm and take explicit action against it, following a major review. This change would mean that anti-Jewish hatred would be treated as a specific safeguarding risk, rather than being managed through existing measures for general racism and bullying.

The review, commissioned by the government and led by former Ofsted chief inspector Sir David Bell, is due to be presented to Parliament on Wednesday and is anticipated to include 27 recommendations. The government is expected to accept all of them.

Key recommendations are understood to include dedicated training for teachers, more consistent recording and reporting of antisemitic incidents, and improved education about Jewish life and modern antisemitism. The review is also expected to call for stronger guidance on political impartiality for teachers.

The initiative comes amid rising concerns about antisemitism in the UK, heightened by incidents such as the October 2025 attack at a synagogue in Manchester that resulted in two fatalities. Separate reviews were also commissioned into antisemitism in healthcare and into public order and hate crime laws.

Earlier reports from the Bell review indicated that Jewish schoolchildren were experiencing regular harassment and abuse. Some headteachers of Jewish schools were reportedly spending a significant portion of their time on security arrangements rather than educational matters. Figures from the Community Security Trust, an organization that offers security advice and support to the Jewish community, showed a substantial increase in antisemitic incidents in schools, with a 59% jump recorded in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025.

The review is also expected to propose the establishment of a government hotline to provide school leaders with immediate advice on tackling antisemitism. Sir David Bell stated that the report's findings are relevant to all children and young people in all educational settings, emphasizing that antisemitism transcends boundaries.

Visits to Jewish schools have highlighted the pervasive security measures in place. At Yavneh College in Hertfordshire, for instance, high gates, fences, numerous security cameras, and dedicated security staff are a daily reality. While students and staff have become accustomed to these measures, they also shared feelings of being targeted due to antisemitic incidents occurring elsewhere. Some older pupils expressed reluctance to display Jewish symbols like skullcaps or necklaces featuring the Star of David outside of school, feeling they couldn't express their identity as freely as members of other religions.

In conjunction with these recommendations, the government is expected to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. While not making it compulsory, this adoption aligns with the UK's existing support for the definition, which has also been endorsed by 47 countries and most British universities. The Board of Deputies of British Jews has stated that adopting the IHRA definition will equip schools with a tool to enhance understanding of contemporary antisemitism and treat it as a safeguarding issue, thereby strengthening accountability. They also advocate for improved education on Jewish life and the consistent application of schools' duties regarding political impartiality.