Prefer Jewish News on Google
JFS head considered stopping after-school revision as pupils faced repeated antisemitism
Dr David Moody says incidents were reported ‘a couple of times a week’ as fears grew over pupils’ journeys home
The headteacher of JFS considered stopping after-school revision sessions because pupils were reporting antisemitic incidents “a couple of times a week” on their journeys home.
Dr David Moody said there was a period after 7 October when incidents involving pupils became so regular that he questioned whether it was safe for Year 11 students to remain at school later for exam revision.
Speaking to Rosa Doherty on WIZO UK’s Impacting Your Future podcast, Moody said: “There was one point where I was thinking of pulling the Year 11 intervention, which went on after school, because something would regularly happen on the way down.”
He explained that the sessions involved teachers putting on revision for Year 11 pupils before they travelled home later than usual.
Moody said he did not witness the incidents himself but pupils regularly reported what had happened to them.
“You definitely run into kids where they were coming up to report it to you, saying that things had happened and that was happening a couple of times a week.”
He added: “And I thought, is this safe to continue?”
Moody said there was “a lot more antisemitism” from October until around March, before the situation began to ease.
His account comes after Sir David Bell, who is leading a government-commissioned review into antisemitism in England’s schools and colleges, warned this week of the extraordinary security pressures facing Jewish schools.
Sir David told the BBC he had been “struck by how many leaders of Jewish faith schools” said security had become an overwhelming priority, with education sometimes “taking second place to that”.
Moody also revealed that JFS had received increased applications from Jewish children who experienced antisemitism at other schools following 7 October.
“What we’ve had is a lot more applications to JFS for people who’ve suffered antisemitism in other schools,” he said.
“And they’ve kind of come to us as a place of refuge”.
The heightened concern also affected a planned visit by the King in the immediate aftermath of the Hamas-led attacks.
“The King was due to visit, but we just didn’t feel safe,” Moody said.
“You’re never going to be safer than the day when the King visits, but it raises the profile of a school at the time when the school and community wanted JFS to have a low profile.”
He added: “Nobody really knew what was coming.”
Moody said that for three months he was on the high street from 7am as pupils arrived at school, alongside security guards, as staff tried to reassure children and their families.
“You are just trying to put people’s minds at ease without trying to make people fearful,” he said.
He also recalled arriving at Kingsbury station to find two police officers waiting to arrest a man who had allegedly verbally abused a JFS pupil the previous week.
“They’d taken their time, they got the evidence that they needed, and then they were there waiting to pick him up,” Moody said.
Despite the pressures, he praised the way pupils had responded.
“There’s a maturity about our kids. They look out for each other,” Moody said. “I think they’ve been deeply impressive.”
Moody, who is not Jewish, also spoke warmly about being introduced to Jewish life since joining JFS, describing the community as “one of the most exceptional groups of people I’ve ever met”.
“It’s the most welcoming, kind, loving community that I’ve ever worked in,” he said. “I’ve never been professionally happier. I feel like I’ve got a home.”
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
