By Dakota Murphey
2025 could very well represent a year where schools will have to make numerous key decisions that shape the years ahead. With mounting pressure on schools to enforce mobile phone bans and also make smarter long-term recruitment decisions, it would be hard to overlook another prominent issue facing everybody – the environment and climate change.
Environmental awareness in schools is hardly a new topic of conversation, but recent data (collated at the end of 2024) suggests that climate understanding among young people is alarmingly poor. As education leaders and decision-makers, we have an opportunity to shape young minds’ understanding, appreciation, and commitment to the environment – and, more specifically, air pollution – throughout the academic year.
Embrace teaching students about air quality
Poor air quality in schools has been widely discussed, with a recent long-term study conducted by SAMHE concluding that UK schools’ ventilation rates are significantly below UK recommendations for workplaces, particularly in winter where airborne viruses spread more rapidly. Poor ventilation alone has long been attributed to decreased attention and concentration levels, not to mention an increased build-up of pollutants that contribute to a range of health conditions and diseases.
One of its key recommendations is for school headteachers, unions, and staff to get clued up on good air quality management practices. The NHS even states that poor air quality is the biggest environmental risk to public health in the UK. It would be fair to say that if the buck has to stop somewhere, it’s arguably got to be in our education sector.
Incorporating lessons on air quality throughout the academic year can help schools foster a generation of environmental consciousness while supporting learning objectives in a variety of subjects. Schools also have a moral duty to lead by example, particularly when you consider the fact that air quality and ventilation in their facilities have been pinpointed as a de facto health concern. Therefore, air quality education isn’t just a benefit to students and their academic achievements, it’s imperative to cultivating a better all-round faith in your institution.
Essential year-round lessons
1. The science behind air pollution and quality
Air pollution, at its core, is a mixture of harmful gases and particles that can negatively affect health and well-being. This can occur outdoors or indoors, with the latter environment being more contagious due to the more condensed containment area.
Examples of dangerous air pollutants include:
- Carbon dioxide (CO2)
- Sulphur dioxide (SO2)
- Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
- Particulate Matter (PM1, 2.5 or 10)
Exposure to air pollution can lead to health problems ranging from breathing difficulties to lung and heart disease, not to mention a reduction in cognitive performance and mental health. Long-term exposure can affect the brain and heart and exacerbate pre-existing conditions like asthma.
These concepts can be made engaging for students, by transforming scientific facts and data into hands-on learning experiences. Students can participate in practical air quality monitoring activities that will benefit both their understanding and the school environment.
Activities could vary from changing filters in air conditioning units to cleaning ventilators and exploring how different heating and dehumidification products work. Incorporating a practical learning element reinforces scientific concepts whilst giving students real world experience with equipment commonly used in communal buildings such as schools.
2. Seasonal air quality challenges
Throughout the school term, pupils will likely experience different sensations depending on the weather and climate. Whether colder, wetter, hotter or dryer, the surroundings present ample opportunities to learn more about air quality and monitoring.
Take the list below as a loose guide.
Autumn/Winter:
- Understanding how weather conditions affect air pollution and the mechanics of compressed air systems
- Exploring the impact of heating systems on air quality, e.g. how wasted air from emissions needs to escape and how it can be recirculated
- Investigating the relationship between temperature inversions and pollution
Spring/Summer:
- Studying pollen levels and their impact on air quality and people’s susceptibility to allergens
- Examining ground-level ozone formation and its impact on the wider environment
3. Understanding indoor air quality management
Indoor air quality deserves special attention, as students spend significant time within school buildings in any given week.
Lessons could focus on the following topics:
- Identifying common indoor pollutants and their risks
- Understanding ventilation processes and principles
- Learning about the relationship between indoor and outdoor air quality
- Exploring practical solutions for maintaining healthy indoor air
While this may be best suited to subjects like science (specifically biology or chemistry), there’s no reason to not discuss this across the board in physical education or PSHE, where relevant. Students have a right to know how at-risk they are, after all, so transparency remains vital.
4. Sustainable transport and air quality
Transform the school run into a learning opportunity by exploring the connection between transportation choices and air quality.
- Develop school travel plans that promote active transport, perhaps through cycling initiatives or walking groups with parental involvement
- Design and implement widespread science projects measuring air quality at different times of the day
- Encourage active participation in sustainable transport options during school trips or organised days out
- Calculate the school community’s transport-related carbon footprint
This lesson naturally integrates with PSHE education while developing students’ analytical and problem-solving skills.
5. Community engagement and action
Extend learning beyond the classroom by engaging with the wider community:
- Partner with local environmental groups or charities
- Conduct air quality audits of the school and surrounding area
- Create information campaigns for parents and other local residents
- Assess and design student-led proposals for improving local air quality
- Encourage learning in green, natural spaces (proven to support mental health and well-being)
Strategies for school leaders
Successfully embedding air quality education is a challenge befitting any school leader. That said, it requires involvement from several parties and a methodical approach.
To begin with, leaders should assess the existing curricula and – where possible – integrate ideas for air pollutant discussions. For example:
- Science: particle physics, chemistry of pollutants
- Geography: urban planning, climate change
- Mathematics: data analysis, statistical reporting
- English: environmental advocacy, report writing
- IT: data visualisation, consolidating findings
Headteachers also cannot afford to overlook the development and growth potential of their workforce. Equip classroom teachers and heads of subjects with as much material, support and resources as possible, so they can deploy these considerately to all age-appropriate classes. Encourage open dialogue between departments for collaboration between subjects and departments (for example, geography and science) to offer more insightful and rewarding experiences for students, whether in the form of cross-departmental projects or shared field trips.
On a broader level, school leaders have a responsibility to hold themselves accountable for their air quality and pollution prevention efforts. Facilities must be retrofitted with best-in-class equipment to ensure they are in good working order and not an unnecessary risk to students or staff. Maintenance and upkeep must not take a back seat, either, so this must be kept in good stead all year round.
Ultimately, involving the school and students in community activities or charity work also goes a long way in cultivating environmental responsibility and transparency at all levels.
Looking ahead
As environmental challenges evolve, so must our approach to air quality education. School leaders should regularly review and update their air quality curriculum to reflect new scientific breakthroughs, emerging educational technologies, evolving environmental regulations and legislation, and more.
Implementing the above year-round lessons and school-wide learning objectives can create meaningful learning experiences that benefit not just the school, but the wider community as well. In turn, students can gain a better understanding of how to create a cleaner, healthier environment while developing valuable scientific, geographical, and mathematical skills, applying them well beyond the classroom.
