Education Secretary Lucy Powell has said "change will come" on antisemitism in England's schools and colleges after accepting all 27 recommendations in a government-commissioned review led by former Ofsted chief inspector Sir David Bell, according to the PA News Agency. Powell told the House of Commons on Wednesday that all children and teachers should be able to attend school or college "free from fear," calling the issue a "generational challenge."
The review's measures are expected to include treating antisemitism as a distinct category of harm, consistent recording of incidents, teacher training, better education about Jewish life and antisemitism, a helpline for schools seeking advice, and strengthened guidance on political impartiality for teachers. The BBC reports the review found Jewish schoolchildren were experiencing regular harassment and abuse. The report did not call for a ban on teachers and pupils wearing political symbols or flags, such as pro-Palestine badges, in schools and colleges.
The government action follows a report from the Community Security Trust showing school-related antisemitic incidents reached a record 178 in the first half of 2026, up 59 percent on the same period last year. Powell warned MPs that antisemitism is "normalised and amplified" on social media and that "old tropes" have found a "new life" online.
Sir David Bell's review was due to be presented to Parliament on Wednesday, and the government is expected to accept all its recommendations. Separate reviews have also been commissioned into antisemitism in healthcare, public order and hate-crime law, the Religion Media Centre reported.
Powell said the government would set out how each of the 27 recommendations will be implemented. The review was led by Bell, a former Ofsted chief inspector, and commissioned amid rising concern over campus incidents, with the Community Security Trust's record 178 school-related antisemitic incidents in the first half of 2026 underscoring the scale of the problem. The Religion Media Centre noted that separate reviews into antisemitism in healthcare, public order and hate-crime law have also been commissioned.