No evidence of antisemitism at Bristol school that postponed visit by Jewish MP, review finds | Antisemitism
An independent investigation into a Bristol secondary school that found itself at the center of a media storm after postponing a visit from a local Jewish MP found no evidence of antisemitism or the influence of lobby groups.
Damien Egan, Labor MP for Bristol North East and deputy chairman of Labor Friends of Israel, was due to visit Bristol Brunel Academy (BBA) last September to talk to students about democracy and his work in parliament.
It was reported that the visit was canceled after a campaign against the campaign by pro-Palestinian activists, including members of the National Education Union. The Bristol Palestine Solidarity Campaign later hailed it as “a victory for parents, teachers and the community”.
But the investigation concluded that the decision to postpone was made solely on safety grounds after the school learned a public protest was planned, amid concerns for the safety of not only Egan but also students and staff.
Retired headteacher Joan McVittie, who carried out the review, said: “The threat of a protest with so many unknowns – information about its size, which groups will attend and the risk of local activists joining – posed a significant risk to pupils and MPs.
“School leaders’ top priority in any decision should always be to protect the health and safety of everyone on the school site, including children and visitors.
“From the evidence I have gathered, I have concluded that the decision to postpone on September 5 was based solely on protecting the concerns of students and MPs.”
Ofsted’s snap inspection this year found “no evidence of partisan political views” at the school. The independent review was commissioned by the Cabot Learning Federation (CLF), the multi-academy trust that runs the BBA, following discussions with the Department for Education (DfE).
Although the investigation found that neither the CLF nor the BBA were antisemitic, it suggested that the foundation was considering additional training on antisemitism and continued to seek ways to repair the relationship with Egan.
It also found that the school had not followed its own procedure for visitors because Egan had visited six other schools in the trust without incident and the trust knew this. It was stated that social media checks, which are part of the procedure, could alert the school to a potential threat earlier.
McVittie also made recommendations for future political visits to schools, suggesting organizers should comply with parliamentary protocols, which advise against giving the community advance notice of MPs’ visits.
It recommended closer working between schools, police, local authorities and the DfE, improved guidance and security for schools planning visits, and MPs’ constituency teams carrying out deeper checks on social media before visits.
To ensure all necessary precautions were taken, the second date of Egan’s visit in December was postponed once again. Egan finally visited the school on February 5.
Leora Cruddas, chief executive of the Confederation of School Trusts, said: “The evidence from the Ofsted inspection, when Bristol Brunel and Dame Joan McVittie independently inspected the trust, is clear: this is a very good school with strong trust.”
A DfE spokesman said that although there were no signs of anti-Semitic culture at the BBA or CLF, the wider picture required urgent action.
“Anti-Semitic incidents in educational settings have more than doubled since October 7, 2023. This is a national shame and we will not turn a blind eye to it.
“That’s why we’ve commissioned an independent national review to strengthen how schools and colleges prevent, detect and respond to antisemitism and all forms of hatred.”
