Ofsted inspects school over MP visit postponement

A school is being inspected by Ofsted over concerns it may have been intimidated into cancelling a visit from a Jewish MP.

Bristol Brunel Academy said it postponed a visit from Damien Egan in September due to student safeguarding issues over a pro-Palestine demonstration planned on the same day.

Ofsted chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver said he was "troubled by the message this sent to children - especially children from the Jewish Community" and added the threshold for an inspection had been met.

"We take our responsibilities to educate young people about British values extremely seriously, which is why we invited Mr Egan to speak to our students in the first place," a school spokesperson said.

The Cabot Learning Federation (CLF), which manages the school, previously told the BBC it decided to delay Egan's visit after being alerted to a planned Bristol Palestine Solidarity Campaign protest.

It said the visit by Egan - who represents Bristol North East and is a member of the Labour Friends of Israel parliamentary group - had been rescheduled by the time the postponement was reported by news outlets.

The CLF said it had followed advice from police in relation to the rescheduled visit.

A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police said: "In this case, we offered support to ensure that the rescheduled visit and any peaceful protest could go ahead.

"We gave no advice on whether or not a visit should take place. We remain ready to offer support when the visit goes ahead."

Speaking about the decision to inspect the school, Sir Martyn said: "I was concerned to learn that a school may have been intimidated into cancelling a visit from their local MP."

"Those of us privileged enough to be working in education have a professional and moral duty to stand against discrimination," he added.

He said Ofsted inspectors visited the school on Thursday.

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson welcomed the inspection and said she had not ruled out taking further action against the school once she received Ofsted's findings.

"What happened to my colleague Damien Egan is shocking and completely unacceptable," she said.

"Be in no doubt, no MP should ever be barred from doing their job because of their faith or background."

"Our schools must be places of safety and inclusion – not exclusion," she added.

The CLF is also investigating claims its inclusion and diversity co-ordinator, Saima Akhtar, shared discriminatory comments on social media.

"The promotion of inclusion and rejection of discrimination are enshrined in the CLF's core values, and all staff are expected to embody these values in their behaviour – both inside and outside of school," a CLF spokesperson added.

CLF said staff members who breached its code of conduct should expect to face disciplinary action which could lead to dismissal. It also said an external review of its staff training had been commissioned.

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