AIR QUALITY & SCHOOLS

Councils can support schools and pupils in tackling air pollution within their boroughs.

This can include activities such as tailored engagement, helping raise awareness and encouraging practical actions to improve local air quality and protect community health. To help students get to school safely and with clean air, they setup School Streets, help schools establish travel plans, gain TfL Travel for Life accreditation and help them get funding for scooter and bike parking.

Air Quality Assessments

Our Air Quality Assessments work with schools to help improve air quality on school grounds. Aimed primarily at schools in areas of higher pollution, this helps implement improvements like installing green screens, bicycle storage racks or getting funding from the Mayor's air quality filter fund for schools.

The assessment takes place all in one morning (mornings are preferred to observe peak traffic flows), and comprises:

An internal review with the caretaker or relevant member of staff.
Air quality measurements in classrooms and assessment of the school’s layout, heating, kitchen, hot water systems and ventilation.
Observation of drop-off or pick-up: We will observe traffic-related activity, with input from the school on day-to-day issues.
Feedback session: A discussion with key staff, for example, the headteacher, business manager, or eco lead, to understand any air quality concerns or challenges.

Each school receives a report with analysis of air quality monitoring results at the site, insights into what might be affecting air pollution in the school and recommendations on how to reduce exposure at and around the school site.

Air Pollution Workshop for Key Stage 2 or 1

Many Councils also offer a free air pollution workshops to schools, aimed at Key Stage 2, though adaptable to Key Stage 1. This includes a 30 to 40-minute presentation covering key topics such as:

Types of pollutants
The importance of clean air
Ways to reduce pollution and exposure
The issue of vehicle idling

Students are encouraged to engage, ask questions and join in discussions throughout.

After the presentation, students take part in a 30 to 40-minute creative activity, such as designing a poster, writing a poem, or a short story, to reflect on what they've learned. This can be done immediately after the session or at a later time.

Sessions work best with groups of around 30 students to allow for meaningful interaction. Multiple sessions can be run back-to-back if several classes would like to take part. To find out more information or to book a free assessment, contact pollution@merton.gov.uk.

Idling Action Events

Leaving car engines idling is illegal and causes unnecessary air pollution especially in and around schools where children are present. Idling action events help drivers understand that it’s an easy issue to fix and reduce idling behaviour through targeted interventions.

If your school would like to participate in an idling action event, your air quality team may be able to engage with drivers who leave their engines running around the school site. This helps reduce localised air pollution caused by idling vehicles.

At previous events, students have supported officers by speaking to parents and carers during pick-up times, distributing no-idling leaflets and encouraging drivers to switch off their engines.

Students will receive a safety briefing, high-visibility vests, leaflets and simple talking points before patrolling the roads around the school in groups, accompanied by an adult.

Wandsworth School Air Quality Ambassadors

The Wandsworth School Air Quality Ambassadors are a group of residents and individuals that work in the borough of Wandsworth who are keen to help clean up Wandsworth air and specifically work around schools, nurseries, and children’s centres. The ambassadors raise awareness with teachers, parents, and pupils of actions they can take to improve air quality.

The ambassadors engage, inform, and share information with community groups, schools, and youth centres so people can understand and relate to the issues.

The ambassadors promote the council-run air quality assessments, pollution workshops and idling action events through their networks and this has led to the air quality team connecting with schools and delivering the free air quality package on offer.

This innovative scheme can be applied to any school in the country, and we are happy to provide advice and help on delivering this.

Clean Air School Accreditation (Wandsworth & Merton)

The Clean Air Schools programme supports local schools to raise awareness of air pollution among their students, families and wider communities. The initiative gives accreditation to schools that take action to improve air quality in their areas and improve road safety in and around the site, through programmes like Travel for Life.

Designed by a group of parents and teachers, the scheme encourages schools to complete air quality and active travel activities throughout the year to achieve Clean Air School accreditation at Bronze, Silver or Gold level. Schools can work towards these awards at a pace that suits them.

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