The independent review comes in response to ‘an alarming picture of antisemitism in education’.
On Wednesday 4th March 2026, the UK Government launched its independent review of antisemitism in schools and colleges in England, to find out how settings identify, respond to and prevent antisemitism. This review was recently mentioned in the recent Every Child Achieving and Thriving white paper, where it was explained that:
“Following high-profile incidents and growing concern about antisemitism in schools and colleges, we also recently announced an independent review to help ensure all schools and colleges have the right systems and processes in place to identify and respond to antisemitism and related issues. This will commence from this Spring.”
The review is responding to a disturbing picture:
- The Community Security Trust found that the second highest annual total of antisemitic incidents was recorded in 2025 at 3,700 incidents.
- It also found that school-related incidents of antisemitism in 2025 were 23% lower than in 2024, but still double the levels typically seen before 2023.
- 51% of NASUWT’s Jewish members experienced antisemitism in the workplace in the last year.
- Of those 51%, more than half said appropriate action wasn’t taken in response to their raised concerns.
- The Institute for Jewish Policy Research’s survey found 23% of British Jewish parents reported their children experienced antisemitism either at school, commuting to school or in the school’s vicinity.
- When UNESCO surveyed teachers across the European Union, it found that ‘confidence levels did not always reflect knowledge, with some teachers possessing misconceptions about what counts as antisemitic’.
Speaking on the review launch, the Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson stated:
“As Jewish families across Britain celebrated Purim this week, a festival that speaks to the power of courage over hatred, I am reminded of the cost of staying silent in the face of prejudice. The figures are stark and clear – school-related antisemitic incidents remain double pre-2023 levels, and too many Jewish teachers who raised concerns felt that nothing was done. That is not acceptable. This review will help to ensure schools and colleges have the confidence and support to tackle antisemitism.”
About the review
The independent review aims to ‘help schools and colleges prevent, identify and respond effectively to antisemitism, and other forms of hatred and prejudice.’ It will be led by Sir David Bell, Vice Chair of Skills England and Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Sunderland, who was appointed ‘because of his extensive public sector experience of schools and colleges at the highest level.’ An ‘expert reference group’ will also support the review.
The review will consider:
- Policies – how well do schools and colleges follow these, and use them to handle incidents and make decisions effectively.
- Support – what support is available to schools and colleges (including relevant Government guidance) and its quality.
- Accountability – how are schools and colleges held accountable if they do not handle incidents properly (including the role of inspectorates).
- Prevention – what measures are schools and colleges taking to prevent antisemitism and how are they ensuring they are identifying and tackling issues early.
- Influence – looking at the role and influence of ‘campaigning organisations’ and other external factors ‘such as protests outside college gates and wider geopolitical events’ and how they affect institution decision making.
Some example questions the review may consider include:
- “How do safeguarding frameworks support schools and colleges to identify, record, and respond to incidents of antisemitism?”
- “How well is the teaching workforce equipped to recognise and address antisemitism in the classroom, including during discussions on sensitive topics?”
- “How do staff ensure they remain politically impartial, in particular related to Israel/Palestine?”
- “How do Prevent processes identify and deal with antisemitic extremism or ideology, and is this treated consistently with other forms of extremist hate?”
To ensure the review is meaningful, it will be published with recommended actions for the DfE and sector leaders. These recommendations are expected to be shared in Autumn 2026. As part of the review, there will be a call for evidence (in spring 2026) that will invite school and college leaders, community groups and religious representatives to share their thoughts and experiences.
Alongside the review, the Government’s press release mentions funding that has been invested to support action, including, ‘£2.3 million to Palace Yard and the Union of Jewish Students to deliver resources and training for education professionals and a £1 million innovation fund to introduce practical solutions to tackle antisemitism.’
On how he will approach the review, Sir David Bell stated:
“I will come at this review with an open and independent mind. I will review both policy and practice to ensure that everyone can learn free from prejudice and hate. I am also keen to know more about those institutions who are tacking antisemitism effectively so that lessons can be shared widely across the education system.”
Learn more:
References
- Gov UK (2026) ‘Government launch antisemitism review into schools and colleges’. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launch-antisemitism-review-into-schools-and-colleges (Accessed: 5th March 2026)
- DfE (2026) ‘Independent Review – Tackling antisemitism in schools and colleges in England: Terms of Reference’. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69a7fc073b5b78231d1a9b59/Independent_review_-_tackling_antisemitism_in_schools_and_colleges_in_England_-_terms_of_reference.pdf (Accessed: 5th March 2026)
- Gov UK (2026) ‘Independent review into antisemitism in schools and colleges’. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/independent-review-into-antisemitism-in-schools-and-colleges (Accessed: 5th March 2026)
- Booth, S. (2026) ‘David Bell to lead independent review on antisemitism in colleges’. Available at: https://feweek.co.uk/david-bell-to-lead-independent-review-on-antisemitism-in-schools/ (Accessed: 5th March 2026)
