One in five students exposed to antisemitism: The worrying picture in UK schools
Directors of Jewish schools in the UK are forced to dedicate significant time to student security, sometimes at the expense of education, according to a government review. In the first half of 2026, 178 antisemitic incidents related to schools were documented—a 59% increase in one year.
Antisemitism in the UK has reached a point where directors of Jewish schools are forced to dedicate a significant portion of their time to student security, sometimes at the expense of education. This emerges from preliminary findings published on Wednesday from an independent review commissioned by the UK government last March to examine antisemitism in schools and colleges in England.
Leading the review is Sir David Bell, former Chief Inspector of Schools in England and Permanent Secretary of the UK Department for Education. Bell, who revealed some of the findings to the British media this week, said he was surprised by the number of Jewish school directors who described the security issue as a matter that dominates their work.
According to him, in some institutions, a situation has been created where "education takes second place." Bell defined the scope of physical security measures around Jewish schools as "extraordinary" and warned that Jewish children and teenagers are dealing not only with a reality of heavy security around educational institutions but also with "hostile and constant abuse."
One in five children exposed to antisemitism
The review collects testimonies from students, parents, teachers, and directors and examines how educational institutions identify antisemitism, how they act to prevent it, and what their response is when antisemitic events occur. The final report, which will also include practical recommendations for the government, is expected in the autumn.
One of the prominent data points being examined comes from a survey conducted among about 5,000 children. About a fifth of the respondents reported that they had witnessed antisemitism or experienced it themselves. Bell said that in conversations with Jewish students in London, he heard testimonies that the harm does not come only from other children, but also from adults. "It is truly worrying," he said.
178 incidents related to schools in half a year
The findings join data published by the Community Security Trust (CST), the British organization that monitors antisemitism. In the first half of 2026, the organization documented 178 antisemitic incidents related to schools, students, and staff. In the corresponding period in 2025, 112 such incidents were documented—an increase of 59% in just one year.
The surge is occurring against the backdrop of high levels of antisemitism recorded in the UK since October 7. According to the CST, the number of antisemitic incidents jumped after the Hamas attack and has not returned to pre-war levels. Events in the Middle East continue to serve as a catalyst for further outbreaks, and in the first half of the year, further aggravation was recorded against the backdrop of the war with Iran.
135 physical assaults against Jews
What is happening in schools is part of a broader picture. According to the CST's semi-annual report, in the first six months of 2026, 1,926 antisemitic incidents were documented across the UK—the second-highest figure ever recorded in a half-year.
The number of physical assaults against Jews has also risen sharply. In the first half of the year, 135 assaults were documented, an increase of 82% compared to the same period last year. For Jewish schools, these data translate into a daily reality where educational institutions are required to invest manpower, money, and management time in the physical protection of their students. According to Bell, the severity of this reality is not understood enough outside the Jewish community.
