Education unions have written to the education secretary urging the government to improve ventilation in schools to reduce further Covid disruption. 

The unions, together with Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP, state in a letter to Gavin Williamson that “the benefits of ventilation in the control of airborne diseases are already well understood and accepted”.

As such, they say funding should be made available for carbon dioxide monitors to ensure air is flowing adequately and for micro filters to remove harmful particles in the air.

The Department for Education (DfE) has previously said it is working with scientists from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies and NHS England on a pilot to measure air quality in classrooms. 

And a government-funded trial is testing the use of air filtering technology in classrooms to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus in schools.

But Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said this was inadequate.

He said: “It is shocking that, rather than taking concrete steps now to improve the situation, the DfE has only just announced a pilot scheme involving 30 schools in Bradford to trial the use of air purifiers, with results not due until the end of the year.

“Eighteen months into the pandemic and, given the accumulated knowledge about ventilation, kicking the issue into the long grass in this way is simply not good enough.” 

Why ventilation matters 

The importance of ventilation as a Covid safety measure has been emphasised by health experts.

In March, scientists writing in the BMJ warned that classrooms were “a high-risk environment”, and ventilation “should align with expert guidance”.

The following month, the BMJ’s editor-in-chief, Fiona Godlee, said that there needed to be “major investment” in making schools “safe”, adding that an increased emphasis on aerosol spread - meaning transmission through airborne particles - had come “too late” for teachers infected with Covid through a “lack of adequate PPE [personal protective equipment]”.

She called for an inquiry into how the messaging on transmission had been handled by the government.

Today’s letter from unions to Mr Williamson says proper measures to increase airflow in time for the start of the next academic year will make a difference to health and limit the damage to learning for pupils. 

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Government action on ventilation in schools and colleges amounts to little more than recommending that windows are kept open, which is not sustainable in providing a comfortable learning environment in the depths of a British winter.

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“If the government is serious about bringing to an end the educational disruption of the past 18 months then it must provide funding for high-quality ventilation systems as a matter of urgency.” 

And Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, criticised what he called “glib advice to open a window”, which he said “isn’t possible for some, or sustainable as we move into autumn and winter months”.

He added: “Given that [the government] has removed the majority of the measures that were in place to reduce Covid transmission in schools, the least it can do is to take seriously the ones that remain, or we will continue to see major disruption to children’s education.” 

Dr Patrick Roach, general secretary of NASUWT, said his union believes that carbon dioxide monitors should be in place in every school.

He added: “Many teachers are still working in rooms which have the windows sealed shut, yet we now know that good ventilation is a key mitigation in helping to reduce the spread of Covid and other viruses in indoor environments.

“Given the recent warnings we have heard from the chief medical officer that the autumn and winter could be a very difficult period again for the country, it’s important that pre-emptive action is taken in schools. A commitment from ministers to a fund to provide enhanced ventilation, monitoring and support with air filtration would be an extremely positive move. It would be reassuring to those working within our schools and be reassuring for many parents.” 

A government spokesperson said: “We want to ensure schools are both safe and comfortable for students and staff - and good ventilation has consistently been part of government guidance. Areas where ventilation is poor should be proactively identified so that steps can be taken to improve fresh air flow if needed.

“We are working to identify cost-effective ways to reduce transmission in communities and we have a pilot running, backed by £1.75 million, to assess the most effective use of proven air purification technologies in school settings.”