OPINION: Why I am serious about ending the silence on antisemitism in British schools

This week, Jewish families across Britain gathered to celebrate Purim.

Families celebrated with costumes, food and the reading of the Book of Esther – the story of Haman’s plot to destroy the Jewish people of Persia, and of the courage that defeated it.

And I know that for many British Jewish families right now, that story will continue to resonate.

Since October 2023, I have listened to Jewish parents describe the anxiety of putting their children on the school bus. I have heard from Jewish teachers who love their work but dread certain classroom discussions. I have read the testimonies of pupils who were targeted, reported it, and felt nothing happened.

These are not isolated cases. They are a pattern, and they demand a serious response. The numbers tell their own story.

The Community Security Trust recorded 204 school-related antisemitic incidents in 2025. That is double the levels seen before October 2023.

Nearly one in four British Jewish parents say their child has experienced antisemitism at school or on the way there.

More than half of Jewish teachers who raised concerns in the workplace said appropriate action was not taken.

These are professionals who did the right thing, and felt let down.

I have asked Sir David Bell to lead an independent review into how schools and colleges in England identify, respond to and prevent antisemitism.

Sir David will look into available guidance and training, whether the right processes are in place when schools do not meet their responsibilities, and how staff can be supported to recognise and challenge antisemitism, including in the charged and complex conversations that have become more frequent since 7 October.

I want to be honest about what this review can and cannot do. It will not end antisemitism. It is not a magic wand. But it is a serious, independent and practical piece of work, that will set out concrete steps we can take to improve. I am committed to acting on its findings.

And it builds on £7 million already invested across all education settings to tackle antisemitism, including through delivering resources and training for education professionals.

The Purim story is a story about people who used their voices and their positions to act. What strikes me is not just the courage it took to speak, but the cost of staying silent. Haman’s hatred flourished because it went unchecked for too long. The lesson for us, I think, is that silence and inaction are never neutral.

Jewish children in England deserve to walk into a classroom and feel safe. Jewish teachers deserve to raise concerns and have them taken seriously. Jewish families deserve to celebrate Purim, and every other festival, knowing that their government values them, understands the threat they face, takes it seriously, and is doing something about it.

I am determined to make sure that commitment is felt not just at times of celebration like Purim, but in the daily reality of Jewish life in this country.