Former Ofsted chief says she was regularly accused of 'anti-Judaism'

Amanda Spielman appeared on a panel event at Tory Party conference

Former Ofsted Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman told a Conservative Party conference event that she was “regularly” accused of “anti-Judaism” when raising concerns about curriculum restrictions in some conservative community schools.

Spielman, who now sits as a Conservative peer in the House of Lords, made the comments during a panel discussion on free speech and the risks posed by blasphemy laws at a fringe event in Manchester.

Previously, Spielman had faced criticism—including from former Tory minister Robert Halfon—for her views on Charedi schools. At the panel, she agreed with MP Nick Timothy’s assertion that Islamist interpretations of Islam often lead to complaints about school curricula.

But she added:“I did see some problems with Judaism as well, but it was a slightly different one.

“I was regularly accused of hostility to Judaism because I was uncomfortable with the extent to which the most conservative Jewish schools wanted to keep their children from any knowledge of the world outside—on issues fundamental to the choices those children should be able to make as adults.

“It’s a slightly different problem, but anti-Judaism certainly came up quite regularly.”

The event, hosted by the More In Common strategy and communications consultancy and chaired by Index on Censorship’s Jemimah Steinfeld, explored the government’s efforts to balance addressing prejudice against religious groups with protecting the right to challenge religious beliefs.

MP Nick Timothy cited the 2021 incident at Batley Grammar School—where a religious studies teacher was forced into hiding after showing a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad—as an example of the challenges posed by religious fundamentalism.

He also referenced antisemitic hadiths calling for violence against Jews, warning that such extremism not only threatens society but can fuel incidents like the recent Yom Kippur terror attack in Manchester.

Luke Tryl of More In Common presented research on British public attitudes, revealing that 75% of those concerned about Islamist extremism are also concerned about far-right extremism, while 68% are worried about Islamophobia.

However, the survey also found that three in ten Britons believe the UK is an unsafe place for Muslims and Jewish people.

During her time at Ofsted she was accused of running a “secular agenda” by some supporters of religious schools, including within the community.