Write to your head teacher about air pollution

Air pollution artwork created by students at Kingswood Primary School, Lambeth, with artist Linett Kamala. Image: Crispin Hughes.

We are encouraging parents to contact their children’s schools to highlight the issue of air pollution and why it’s important for everyone - but especially schools - to take action to reduce it.

It is ironic that the simple act of going to school in the morning can expose children to five times more air pollution than at any other time. And it’s this air pollution that can have a negative impact on children’s health, as well as their ability to learn.

We know schools are stretched right now, but we want to draw the attention of heads, teachers and parents to the impact of air pollution on children’s health and learning, so that action can be planned to reduce the level of air pollution in and around the school.

We have written a pre-drafted letter that you can send to your headteacher expressing your concerns, showing the levels of pollution around your school (using addresspollution.org), and encouraging them to do something about it. We believe that the more parents draw attention to the situation, the more likely it is that action will be taken.

Send a letter to your headteacher today! You can download them below, we have a London version and a UK version.