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Primary Schools

Air Pollution School Engagement Workshops

Poor air quality is the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK and it affects us all. It can impact healthy heart and lung function[i], and recent studies also indicate it can affect mental health and brain functions like memory and reasoning[ii].

Raising awareness about air pollution is critical for lowering emissions and improving air quality. As we learn more about the sources and harmful effects of air pollution, and how we can make changes, we are better equipped to reduce our emissions. 

Air quality education is an important part of STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) education. The OxonAir Quality school engagement programme is helping students understand more about the air we breathe, how we measure it, and how we can look after it better. 

Pupils at Harriers school in Banbury and North Hinksey school in Botley recently enjoyed dedicated learning days run by officers from Oxfordshire County Council.  

During the day, the children found out more about indoor and outdoor air quality where they got to monitor air quality inside the classroom, and also nitrogen dioxide[iii] (NO2) levels outside. They explored different options for travelling without having to use a car and became data experts as they learned all about using the OxonAir website.

The website is run by Oxfordshire’s local authorities[iv] and is full of useful information about air quality in the county including daily information on air quality status, initiatives in your area, and also your local authority’s policies and reports for better air quality.

Oxfordshire County Council is looking to deliver more workshops in the next academic year, so please get in touch if your school is interested.

More about the OxonAir website

Air pollution is associated with between 29,000 and 43,000 deaths a year in the UK according to figures from Defra: Defra. Air quality appraisal: damage cost guidance, January 2023.  You can also read more in Public Health England’s 2018 Health matters: air pollution report.

  1. These connections have been established in the Air quality and mental illness study led by the University of Oxford with other UK universities, UK Research and Innovation, the Environment Agency and the UK Health Security Agency. The study is a part of the BioAirNet programme. There are further reports outside the UK with similar findings – several led by the Sarah Adar research group.
  2. Nitrogen oxide (NO) is mostly produced by transport emissions and other processes where a fuel reacts with oxygen to release a chemical. Once released into the atmosphere, NO transforms to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) which is harmful to health.
  3. Cherwell District Council, Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, South Oxfordshire County Council, Vale of White Horse District Council and West Oxfordshire District Council.