U.K. Report: 1 in 5 Students Has Encountered Antisemitism at School

A British government report found that antisemitism in the United Kingdom has reached a point where Jewish school principals are being forced to devote a significant portion of their time to securing their students. This was reported today (Wednesday) by Ynet.

The government review team, led by Sir David Bell, the former chief inspector of schools in England and former chief executive of the British Department for Education, was appointed by the Department for Education. The investigation found that at some Jewish institutions, a situation has emerged in which "education takes second place." Bell described the scale of physical security measures around Jewish schools as "extraordinary," warning that Jewish children and teenagers face a reality of heavy security surrounding their schools.

In addition, testimony was collected from students, parents, teachers, and principals in general educational institutions, examining how they work to prevent antisemitism and how they respond when antisemitic incidents occur.

The report notes that in a survey of approximately 5,000 children, about one-fifth said they had witnessed antisemitism or experienced it themselves. In the first half of 2026, 178 antisemitic incidents involving schools, students, and staff were documented. During the same period in 2025, 112 such incidents were recorded—an increase of 59% in just one year.