Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress she has made on the roll out of measures to improve air filtration in schools as set out in January 2022.

Since 2021, the Department has delivered over 700,000 CO₂ monitors to over 45,000 state funded schools and colleges, as well as early years settings and childminders operating in groups of four or more, and children’s homes that offer places to six or more children.

The first phase of this programme began in September 2021 and supplied education providers with enough CO₂ monitors for 50% of teaching and childcare spaces. The second phase began in December 2022 and ended in April 2023. It ensured all eligible providers received additional monitors for the remaining 50% of teaching and childcare spaces.

For poorly ventilated teaching spaces in state funded schools where improvement to ventilation is not possible, the Department has provided over 9,000 air cleaning units (ACUs) to over 1,300 schools. The ACU programme began in January 2022 and was well received by schools, colleges and childcare providers. Applications were reopened in November 2022 to give providers another opportunity to receive a Department funded ACU for spaces with sustained high CO₂ readings (1500ppm or more).

All ACUs provided by the Department have met the minimum recommended technical specification for ACUs in education and childcare settings. Details are available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1152803/HEPA_Specification_V0.9_.pdf. The Department’s technical specification was developed through consultation with industry wide experts in both air cleaning and ventilation, from academia, professional bodies and industry, including chartered engineers, scientists, and several Government Departments. Through this consultation, the Department has developed a specification focusing on key drivers including classroom size, acoustics, clean air delivery and filtration, as well as requiring strong evidence to verify manufacturers' claims.

The application window for a Department funded ACU has now closed. The Department’s ‘Find a Framework’ service continues to supply education and childcare providers with a route to purchasing air cleaning units and replacement filters directly from suppliers. The service is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-a-dfe-approved-framework-for-your-school.

The Department has published guidance with linked resources to help schools and nurseries understand the need for good ventilation and how to make the most out of their devices. This guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-co-monitors-and-air-cleaning-units-in-education-and-care-settings.