9,000 Reading children learn about air quality
It was part of a government backed project
A two-year project to raise awareness of air pollution to young people and their families has reached around 9,000 pupils from 28 different schools across Reading.
The Clean Air Living Matters: Exploring Reading (CALM:ER) programme was delivered through 53 sessions, including interactive workshops and assemblies in schools, as well as all-day sessions at the University of Reading, parent engagement at school gates and at community events around the borough.
The Council led the government-funded programme with support from the University of Reading, engineering consultants Stantec and social enterprise Design Nature.
The CALM programme set out to engage primary and secondary schools to increase knowledge and awareness of air quality, causes of air pollution, its impacts and to explore solutions.
It also aimed to increase awareness of poor air quality in the wider community around school and encourage parents to consider their actions which may impact air quality.
Between January 2024 and July 2025, the team visited 20 primary and eight secondary schools, delivering assemblies and workshops.
Assemblies included discussions about sources of air pollution, such as transport and wood burning, and its impact on health and ways of reducing it and avoiding exposure to it.
Air quality monitors were provided to participating schools and pupils were able to carry out indoor and outdoor air quality measurements over a period of time. The results were analysed and discussed during workshop sessions. Pupils were also able to take real-time measurements and look at the pollutants detected, their levels and potential sources.
A total of 84 children from five different secondary schools also took part in air quality workshops at the University of Reading, which included laboratory experiments and monitoring on the campus.
Members of the team held more than 50 school gate engagement sessions during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times, resulting in conversations with 860 parents, carers and community members.
Activities extended beyond the school grounds with a presence in community events, such as Reading Cycle Festival, Kidical Mass Reading rides and the University of Reading Community Festival.
In total, it is estimated that between 26,000 to 33,000 people engaged in the CALM programme.
Feedback from schools involved in the project has been very positive with 70% wishing to retain and continue to use their indoor and outdoor air quality monitors.
Risk
Cllr John Ennis, Reading’s Lead Councillor for Climate Strategy and Transport, said:
“Improving air quality in Reading is a high priority for the Council and the CALM programme has been a brilliant way of engaging young people, their families and the wider community on this important subject.
“Although air quality is improving in Reading, pollution still poses a health risk, particularly for children, the elderly and people with lung and heart conditions, which is why this Council continues to invest heavily in public transport, whether that is buses and bus lanes, rail travel or improved pedestrian and cycle facilities.
“The CALM project has delivered fun and engaging sessions to more than 9,000 Reading children who now have much more knowledge and awareness of air quality, the common causes of air pollution and ways of reducing it.
“I would like to thank the Council’s partners and all the schools and teachers who got involved and helped make the CALM project such a success.”