Clean Air Day 2020: Reducing air pollution levels by 20% could improve children’s ability to learn by one month per year

Chris Large, Co-CEO at Global Action Plan says: “

This year long research project has uncovered the effects air pollution has on our children’s ability to learn, as well as their health. Given lockdown restrictions have already impeded learning time, we must give all children a fighting chance, especially those in pollution hotspots who are also likely to be victims of the attainment gap. The new Clean Air for Schools Framework is now available for free to help any school set up a clean air action plan, but schools cannot do this alone. We ask the government to bring together all parties with potential solutions – NGOs, local government, education leaders and businesses – to combine under one national effort to eliminate harmful pollutants from schools.”

Mark Leftwich, Director, Personal Health, Philips UK and Ireland: 

“Every child has the right to learn in a safe working environment which not only protects their health, but also safeguards their ability to learn and shape their future prospects. It is imperative that we take immediate action to protect the futures of our children who have already experienced severe disruption to their learning over lockdown and cannot afford to be held back any further. As a society, we already have many practical tools at our disposal to tackle air pollution and with schools, parents and local authorities working together, we can put them into place today, ensuring this generation of schoolchildren have the best possible learning environments we can give them. We therefore urge the UK Government to encourage all schools to adopt the Clean Air for Schools Framework.”

Prof Martie van Tongeren, Professor in Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Manchester: “Pollution of indoor and outdoor air affects the health of our children. In addition, the available evidence indicates that it affects their cognitive development, which may affect educational attainment.  Studies that investigate the link between exposure to air pollution during early life and effects of educational attainment and brain health at later life are urgently needed and policies should be set out by ministers to tackle this urgent challenge, immediately.”

“Improving air quality in and around schools will benefit child’s health and educational development should be a priority for government, local authorities and schools.”

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan: “I am doing everything in my power to stop Londoners breathing air so filthy that it damages children’s lungs and causes thousands of premature deaths. The Ultra-Low Emission Zone has already cut toxic air by a third and led to reductions in roadside nitrogen dioxide that are five times greater than the national average. We recently launched our School Streets air quality monitoring project and are funding 430 new School Streets as part of our world leading Streetspace plan. This will play an important role in enabling parents and children to walk, cycle or scoot to and from school which has so many benefits, not least in improving air quality. We know there is still more to do, and the task is made all the more urgent by emerging evidence of the link between air pollution and the worst effects of COVID. Pollution is not just a central London problem which is why I am committed to expanding the ULEZ next year.  I have consistently demanded that the government match my ambition and improve the environment bill to include legally binding WHO recommended limits to be achieved by 2030, and to give cities the powers they need to eradicate air pollution.”

Greater Manchester, Director of Public Health, Eleanor Roaf: “This year, during lockdown, one of the very few positives was the improvement in our air quality.  We’re in danger of losing these gains, but if we all try and change our habits, and in particular, walk and cycle for as many of our shorter journeys as we can, then we’ll reduce congestion and improve air quality,  which will not only improve our health but also reduce our covid-19 risk. We encourage all schools in Greater Manchester to harness the free Clean Air for Schools Framework to eliminate harmful pollutants from in and around the school premises.”

Councillor Tom Hayes, Deputy Leader, and Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford, Oxford City Council: “Clean air is a right that everyone should be able to experience. In Oxford we understand the impact air pollution can have on young people and have been working with schools across the city on our award winning STOP campaign, to help raise awareness of the effects on health. Through helping to share the impact of air pollution with children and young people we can help embolden them to share their views and become the voices of the future. The Global Action Plan Clean Air for Schools Framework will help schools and local authorities across the country to help to educate our future leaders on how they can tackle air pollution in their local communities and beyond. I encourage all schools and local authorities to support this framework.”

Geraint Davies, APPG on Air Pollution: “For Clean Air Day we should all be working hard to reduce our air pollution. Since young people are most vulnerable to the effects of air pollution it is important that we focus on areas around schools and parks where young people spend most of their time. It will ensure they are not only physically healthier, but studies show that better air quality improves concentration and memory in young people, which leads to higher attainment at schools. It is therefore vital when we think about education, we consider the learning environment and make it pollution free.”

Steve Marsland, Head Teacher, Russell Scott Primary School: “Wow! I knew the Philips Air Purifiers would make a difference to the quality of air in our classrooms but to reduce particulates in the air by almost a third is amazing! Until the University of Manchester surveyed the air quality prior to the project we had no idea how poor the air quality was. Our school is in a particularly polluted area because of the numbers of roads, retail park and two motorways running past us that you almost accept that this is your lot and you learn to live with it. The Clean Air Project has proven that we don’t have to live with it.”

Sarah Hannafin Senior Policy Advisor NAHT: 

"One thing the Covid-19 crisis has shown us is that we can do things differently. As we now begin to try and return to a more normal way of life it's important we don't just automatically take up old habits but try to use this opportunity to find better options, for ourselves and the planet. We would encourage schools to use this new framework and to consider working with children, families and local partners to create a clean air action plan to tackle air pollution in and around the school.”

Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary, National Education Union:

“The NEU continues to be hugely concerned about the impact of air pollution on children and therefore welcomes this new resource which will help raise awareness of the impact of air pollution and also help schools to take practical steps to improve their own environment”.