Government commits to more air cleaning units for schools

The government has announced it will deliver up to 9,000 air cleaning units to early years, schools and colleges to improve ventilation in classrooms – up to 1,000 more than originally promised.

Since the government launched its application process, 1,265 education settings have made valid applications to receive an air cleaning unit. The further commitment will ensure every setting will receive the units they need.

The units will help in classrooms and teaching spaces where quick fixes to ventilation are not possible, such as being able to open a window.

The number of valid applications for an air cleaning unit is in line with expectations, mirroring the findings of a survey of education settings also published today, which found that only three per cent of settings using carbon dioxide monitors reported sustained high carbon dioxide readings that couldn’t otherwise be addressed.

The survey published today on schools’ use of carbon dioxide monitors also showed that of the vast majority of settings that are using the CO2 monitors, 95% were able to use them to manage ventilation in their classrooms and teaching spaces.

Special schools and Alternative Provision have already received the air cleaning units they applied for, while all other settings with valid applications will receive them as planned from the start of February.