Clean Air Living Matters: Exploring Reading with Schools

Ending in June 2025, Reading Borough Council, in collaboration with Design Nature, Stantec and the University of Reading, successfully delivered an exciting CALM – Exploring Reading Air Quality programme to schools across Reading.

Achievements and impact

  • Increased knowledge around air quality, its causes, impacts and solutions, with pupils and staff in schools
  • Increased awareness of air quality in the wider community and surrounding schools
  • Delivered action planning activities that have the potential to impact on poor air quality, surrounding schools, having enabled pupils to create behavioural change initiatives for the school, parents and wider community.
  • Delivered school, after-school (Eco Club) and extra-curricular activities
  • Joined others and collaborated on key Reading Borough Council initiatives and wider Reading-based community events and activities
A light blue infographic titled "A CALM:ER approach to air quality education" with the subtitle "Using low-cost sensors to increase awareness and invite behavioural change." The CALM logo (Clean Air Living Matters Exploring Reading) appears in a white cloud shape in the top right corner. The infographic is divided into two main sections: Programme objectives section features three columns with icons: A lightbulb icon labeled "Knowledge building" describing increased knowledge of air quality, its causes, impacts and solutions for primary and secondary school children through age-appropriate programmes A megaphone icon labeled "Community awareness" explaining expanded air quality awareness in the Reading community and surrounding schools, with raised awareness of the harmful impacts of particulate matter and wood burning Three people icons labeled "Action and change" detailing delivered action planning activities enabling pupils to create behavioural change initiatives for schools and communities Key outcomes & impact section header appears at the bottom of the image with decorative cloud elements, suggesting additional content follows on subsequent pages.
An infographic displaying key outcomes and impact statistics from the CALM air quality education programme, presented in a grid layout with icons and numbers: Top row (left to right): Icon of colorful buildings with "28 schools engaged across Reading: 20 primary and 8 secondary schools" Illustration of three diverse people with "46,000-33,000 total community reach" Icon showing four connected profile circles with speech bubbles, labeled "9,000 pupils directly engaged" Illustration of a smiling person with question mark and lightbulb symbols, showing "7,000 pupils participated in air quality awareness activities" Bottom row (left to right): Illustration of a person with weather symbols (sun, cloud) and "2,000 took part in workshops using indoor, outdoor and portable sensors" Illustration of two people (one in uniform, one in lab coat) with "53 sessions delivered: 20 school assemblies, 33 interactive workshops & laboratory sessions" Icon of a blue air quality sensor device with "120 indoor, outdoor and portable sensors" CALM badge stating "I'm a CALM Air Quality Explorer" with "82% of pupils agreed the CALM programme improved their knowledge of air pollution" At the bottom, a dashed arrow points to handwritten text reading "Continue for more on CALM"
A light blue cover page with decorative bubble elements featuring the CALM logo (Clean Air Living Matters Exploring Reading) in a white cloud shape at the top. The main title reads "A CALM:ER approach to air quality education" in white text, followed by the subtitle "Use of low-cost sensors to increase awareness and invite behavioural change" Below this is program information stating: "Reading Borough Council DEFRA Air Quality Grant Fund 2022/2023 End of Programme Review - October 2025" At the bottom of the page is a simple black and white illustration showing a street scene with a van, houses of varying heights, clouds, and a dashed road line. The footer contains logos of partner organizations from left to right: Design Nature, University of Reading, Stantec, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Food & Air Affairs, and Reading Borough Council.
Download the full report

Your guide to air quality education

Image of the front page, and the opened CALML booklet.
Download the guide to find out more

CALM:ER explainer animations

CALM:ER case studies

Geoffrey Field Junior School case study (opens in new window)
Reading School case study (opens in new window)
Civitas Academy case study (opens in new window)
Civitas Academy case study 2 (opens in new window)
Clean Air Day Case Study (opens in new window)
EP Collier case study (opens in new window)

CALM:ER for explorers

Wordsearch
Air quality word search
Image to be coloured in
Air quality colouring-in sheet
Question sheet.
Air quality question sheet

CALM:ER for educators

CALM assembly overview (opens in new window)
CALM class overview (opens in new window)
University or Reading – KS2 Curriculum air quality lesson plan
Air Gradient ONE set-up instructions (opens in new window)
Air Gradient Open Air (opens in new window)
ATMO Tube Pro instructions (opens in new window)

Community of practice

CALM:ER is committed to supporting the Reading-based schools who have been so actively engaged in the programme. For more information about the successful CALM:ER programmed please email Ross Jarvis, Principal Air Quality Project Officer – ross.jarvis@reading.gov.uk.

A woman with braided hair and glasses wearing a white sweater and blue lanyard leans is consulting 2 young men in a high-visibility safety vests. She is writing or working on paperwork. There is a brick wall behind them.
"A school assembly in a large hall with students in blue uniforms seated on the floor facing a stage. On stage, there's a large projection screen displaying 'CALM Good morning!' with the CALM logo. Several adults stand on the stage, including presenters and what appears to be school staff. Blue curtains frame the stage, and there are promotional banners visible on either side. The audience consists of dozens of primary or secondary school students.
Two adults presenting to a classroom of students seated in blue chairs. A man in a dark sweater stands on the left while a blonde woman in dark clothing stands on the right, both wearing name badges or lanyards. The classroom has bright blue walls with educational displays including a purple bulletin board with photos. There's a whiteboard and desk area behind the presenters, and students can be seen from behind in the foreground listening to the presentation.
A group of people in white lab coats and safety glasses conducting a science experiment or demonstration in what appears to be a school laboratory. A smiling man with glasses and a blue lanyard stands at the center, holding laboratory equipment, while others including a woman with braided hair observe. There's scientific apparatus on the wooden lab bench including stands and glassware. A blue banner with the CALM logo is visible in the background, suggesting this is an educational outreach program.
Blue background with logos of various participating partners: Reading Borough Council, Design Nature, Stantec, University of Reading and Defra.
Last updated on 11/11/2025