AN INQUIRY into a school at the centre of a political row over the cancellation of an MP’s visit has found no evidence of anti-Semitism.
Cabot Learning Federation commissioned the independent review into Bristol Brunel Academy in Speedwell, led by former Association of School and College Leaders president Dame Joan McVittie.
It followed a snap Ofsted inspection in January, called after Communities Secretary Steve Reed claimed that a decision by school leaders to cancel a visit by Bristol North East MP Damien Egan the previous September had been made on account of his Jewish faith.
Dame Joan has concluded that the decision to cancel the visit was made on safety grounds, after reports that a protest was planned at a gate used by 1,300 students.
She said she found no evidence that either the school or federation were anti-Semitic.
However, details from the report have been redacted in 12 places, and Mr Egan, whose constituency includes Staple Hill and Mangotsfield, has called on the CLF to make the full version public.
The visit was called off after members of the National Education Union learned of the invitation and planned a protest over the Israeli invasion of Gaza. In a social media statement, Bristol NEU said members planned the action because of Mr Egan’s position as vice-chair of the Labour Friends of Israel group. Other groups were also expected to join the protest.
In her report Dame Joan said: “Three senior leaders from the Cabot Learning Federation made the decision to postpone the visit.
“The reviewer did not find evidence of external or internal groups which influenced this decision.
“The decision was based solely on safeguarding and health and safety grounds for students, staff and the MP.
“If the school had followed their own procedure for visitors, they may have been more alert to the potential protests and sought external advice from the police, local authority, DfE and other stakeholders well in advance of the visit.”
Dame Joan also looked at the wider culture and policies of the school and trust, and concluded: “The evidence I have gathered leads me to conclude that neither CLF or BBA are anti-Semitic.”
The CLF has sent the report to Mr Egan and media organisations, and published a press release on the school website, which said the school “has seen its decision-making vindicated”.
Mr Egan said: “I have seen the redacted version of the report that the Cabot Learning Federation Multi Academy Trust have released and would strongly encourage them to publish the complete version of the report. I will be writing to the Secretary of State to the same effect.”
Responding on the CLF’s behalf, Dame Joan said: “The redactions in the published report are there so that individuals referenced cannot be identified, as is normal in a report of this kind.
“The published report with redactions was agreed and accepted by the Department for Education.
“In my opinion the redactions make no material difference to my findings and recommendations.”