Internal and external air pollution at school can affect children’s health and wellbeing. Research from the Technical University of Denmark found that improving air quality within schools improves children’s concentration levels as well as reducing various health issues such as headache and eye irritation.

The Air pollution and You Checklist, developed by North East London, is a downloadable PDF that can be displayed in schools. It has easy graphics to help children, young people, families and school staff understand the simple actions they can take to avoid air pollution.

Schools can sign up to receive free air pollution messages via text or email. This includes air pollution forecasts for Greater London, plus UV, pollen and temperature. On high pollution days, schools may wish to suggest that parents walking their children to school avoid busy roads, for example, or remind those with asthma to carry their preventer inhalers.

Global Action Plan’s London Schools Pollution Helpdesk offers free guidance and advice to help staff and students improve air quality inside and outside schools. Schools can create their own Clean Air Action Plan using the Clean Air for Schools Framework and there are educational resources to help children and young people understand air pollution and how they can tackle it.

Tackling Air Pollution at School (TAPAS). The TAPAS Network is a collaboration of stakeholders from academia, education, public policy, civil society and business. It aims to improve air quality within schools through sharing research and innovation. Schools can sign up to receive updates and invitations to online educational events.