An independent inquiry has found no evidence of antisemitism at a Bristol secondary school that postponed a visit by its local MP, concluding the decision was driven solely by fears for the safety of pupils and the politician amid plans for a public protest.
The review, led by retired headteacher Dame Joan McVittie and commissioned by the school’s multi-academy trust, the Cabot Learning Federation (CLF), investigated the circumstances that led to Bristol Brunel Academy calling off a scheduled visit from Labour MP Damien Egan last September. Its findings were supported by a separate snap Ofsted inspection, which also found “no evidence of partisan political views” at the school.
Safeguarding fears behind the postponement
Dame Joan’s report stated that the “overriding priority” for school leaders must always be safeguarding, and that the decision to postpone on September 5 was based on this principle. The trigger was the school learning of a planned public protest. “The threat of a protest where there were so many unknowns – information about the size, which groups would be involved, and the risk of local activists joining – created a significant risk to students and the MP,” she concluded.
This concern was not abstract. The research briefing reveals that a representative from the Bristol branch of the National Education Union (NEU) had, according to reports, “sparked a flurry of organising” for an anti-Israel protest. This included calls for teachers to involve students and a plan for participants to wear keffiyehs. The Bristol Palestine Solidarity Campaign later hailed the cancellation as a “victory for parents, teachers and the community,” while social media posts from pro-Palestine activists celebrated blocking a visit from a politician who “openly support[s] Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza.”
The school itself stated the visit was postponed due to safety concerns about a planned protest and to prevent disruption to learning. The inquiry confirmed that neither the CLF nor the school were influenced by lobby groups or antisemitic sentiment in making this call.
Procedural failures and political context
Despite clearing the institution of bias, the independent review identified a key procedural lapse. It found Bristol Brunel Academy had not followed its own visitor procedure. Checks on social media, which form part of that protocol, could have alerted the school earlier to the potential threat. This was notable as Mr Egan, the MP for Bristol North East and vice-chair of Labour Friends of Israel, had already visited six other schools within the CLF trust without incident.
The postponement drew significant political scrutiny. Communities Secretary Steve Reed had described the move as an “absolute outrage,” while Education Minister Olivia Bailey stated MPs should have a basic democratic right to visit schools. The episode led the CLF to commission the review after discussions with the Department for Education (DfE).
Mr Egan, whose husband is Israeli, has expressed concern that parts of the published report were redacted and called for a complete version to be released, stating he would write to the Education Secretary on the matter. His visit was postponed a second time in December before finally going ahead on 5 February this year.
Recommendations and the national picture
The inquiry made several recommendations to prevent similar situations. It suggested organisers of such visits adhere to parliamentary protocols, which advise against giving advance community notice of an MP’s attendance. It also called for closer working between schools, police, local authorities and the DfE, improved guidance on security for school visits, and for MPs’ constituency teams to conduct deeper social media checks beforehand.
Although it found no antisemitism at the school, the review suggested the CLF consider additional training on the subject and continue to seek ways to repair its relationship with Mr Egan. The report noted that while Jewish staff members at the school reported being treated with respect, no students at Bristol Brunel Academy identified as Jewish.
The Department for Education, responding to the findings, placed the case in a wider, concerning context. A DfE spokesperson stated that while no signs of antisemitic culture were found at this specific school or trust, antisemitic incidents in educational settings have more than doubled since October 2023. “It’s a national disgrace, and we will not look away from it,” the spokesperson said, confirming the department has commissioned an independent national review to strengthen how schools prevent, identify and respond to antisemitism and all forms of hate.
