Air quality experiments teach school pupils about pollution

Year 5 pupils from a Reading primary school took part in some hands on learning about air quality at the University of Reading last week [Thursday 9 January].

46 students from Civitas Academy took part in experiments that demonstrated how everyday activities such as cooking with natural gas and burning wood for heating can impact indoor air quality. The children used handheld devices to measure the level of pollutants in the air while the experiments were taking place, and discussed how pollutants can impact our health.

Civitas Academy is one of many Reading schools that is signed up to the Clean Air Living Matters (CALM) programme, which is jointly run by the University, Reading Council, engineering consultancy Stantec and social enterprise Design Nature. The scheme launched in 2023, after Reading Council secured £327,000 funding from the government’s annual Air Quality Grant.

The CALM initiative is an education programme that aims to raise awareness of poor air quality and increase knowledge of its causes and impacts, as well as mitigation solutions.

As well as support for assemblies, workshops and activity days, participating schools have been supplied with equipment to monitor air quality in and around their school buildings. School gates especially tend to have high levels of pollution at drop-off and pick-up times. Pupils and teachers are shown how to use the equipment and understand what the data means.

In the session held last week, pupils from Civitas Academy examined the data from their own sensors. The graphs showed clear pollution spikes during key times of the year, such as Bonfire Night and Diwali, and this showed up on both the indoor and outdoor sensors, demonstrating the impact that outdoor air pollution can have on indoor air quality. 

Marta O’Brien, Research Scientist and PhD candidate at the University of Reading who is involved in the CALM project, said: “Learning by doing is one of the most effective ways to engage pupils at this age.

“By prioritising environmental education today, we are making a vital investment in the future of our planet - something the world urgently needs.”

Cllr John Ennis, Reading’s Lead Councillor for Climate Strategy and Transport, said:

“It is excellent to see so many young people in Reading learning about the importance of good air quality in a fun and engaging way.

“The Clean Air Living Matters (CALM) project has delivered air quality education sessions to thousands of pupils at 17 Reading schools. Imagine the impact that has when every pupil then goes home and talks to their friends and family about what they have learned.

“Improving air quality for the good health of our residents is one of the Council’s top priorities and the CALM programme really helps to spread important messages about air pollution and how it can be prevented.”

The CALM programme runs until June 2025 and schools can still sign up to take part.

As part of the day, pupils from Civitas Academy also discussed the upcoming Clean Air Night, which aims to raise awareness of the pollution caused by wood burning. On 1 December 2024, the whole of Reading borough became a Smoke Control Area, an expansion of the already existing scheme. This forms part of the Council’s drive to improve air quality in the borough and create a healthier environment for residents.