Schools: Antisemitism

(asked on 26th April 2023) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to tackle antisemitism in schools.


Answered by
Claire Coutinho Portrait
Claire Coutinho
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
This question was answered on 9th May 2023

Antisemitism, as with all forms of bullying and hatred, is abhorrent and has no place in our schools. Under the Equality Act 2010, schools have a duty to take steps to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation, advance equality of opportunity and to foster good relations across all protected characteristics, including religion. The department has published guidance for schools on how to comply with their duties under the Equality Act 2010 here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-advice-for-schools.

The department is also making sure that all children in England learn about respectful relationships, in person and online, as part of mandatory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE). This includes content on the different types of bullying, the impact bullying has, the responsibility of bystanders, and how to get help. RSHE guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health.

The department is fully committed to remembering the Holocaust and supporting high-quality and rigorous Holocaust education. We believe that young people should be taught the history of the Holocaust to understand why and how it happened, which is why it is the only historic event that is compulsory within the national curriculum for history at key stage 3. The topic is one that also has relevance to and can be taught in other subjects such as citizenship, religious education and English.

The department is providing over £3 million of funding, between 10 August 2021 and 31 March 2024, to five anti-bullying organisations to support schools to tackle bullying. One grant recipient, The Anne Frank Trust, runs termly teacher training sessions which focus on a different form of prejudice at each meeting. The first one of these focuses on Antisemitism and helps to equip schools with the skills, resources and confidence to continue growing an anti-bullying culture within their school.

The department continues to publish information, guidance and support for teachers and school leaders on how to challenge radical views, including racist and discriminatory beliefs, on the Educate Against Hate website, which can be found here: https://www.educateagainsthate.com/. The department has also published Respectful School Communities, a self-review and signposting tool to support schools to develop a whole-school approach which promotes respect and discipline. https://educateagainsthate.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/6.4953_DFE_Respectful-schools_signposting-tool_FINAL_Fillable_Client_Cop....pdf.

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