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 programmed 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
Infographic titled "A CALM:ER approach to air quality education" with subtitle "Using low-cost sensors to increase awareness and invite behavioural change." The CALM logo (Clean Air Living Matters Exploring Reading) appears in a cloud shape in the top right. The infographic is divided into two main sections: Programme objectives shows three goals with icons: Knowledge building (lightbulb icon): Increased knowledge of air quality, its causes, impacts and solutions for primary and secondary school children through age-appropriate programmes Community awareness (megaphone icon): Expanded air quality awareness in the Reading community and surrounding schools. Raised awareness of the harmful impacts of particulate matter and wood burning Action and change (people icon): Delivered action planning activities enabling pupils to create behavioural change initiatives for schools and communities Key outcomes & impact displays statistics with illustrations: 28 schools engaged across Reading (20 primary and 8 secondary schools) 26,000-39,000 total community reach 9,000 pupils directly engaged 7,000 pupils participated in air quality awareness activities 2,000 took part in workshops using indoor, outdoor and portable sensors 523 sessions delivered (20 school assemblies, 35 interactive workshops & laboratory sessions) 120 indoor, outdoor and portable sensors 82% of pupils agreed the CALM programme improved their knowledge of air pollution A "Continue for more on CALM" arrow appears at the bottom.
Infographic page showing CALM programme activities and future plans. At the top, a testimonial quote in white text on purple background reads: "Year 5 and 6 enjoyed the workshops and gained a deeper insight into air quality, how to measure it and how to improve it. They have led the way in telling us adults to encourage walking to school, opening our windows and looking after our plants." - English Martyrs Catholic Programme activities section displays a cloud-style diagram with the CALM logo at center, surrounded by interconnected activity bubbles: School assemblies, Interactive workshops, School engagement, Air quality pledges, School gates engagement, Action Planning, Behavioural change impact, Portable monitoring & citizen science, Community events, and Other activities (including Symposiums, Forums, Conferences, and Poster competition). What's next for CALM? section explains the team is creating a 'Community of Practice' to support engaged schools in Reading, sharing resources including lesson plans for KS2 and KS3, presentations, and teacher training. Text mentions following a link to the CALM webpage or scanning the QR code (QR code image shown on right). At bottom left, another testimonial quote: "The CALM:ER project has allowed me as a teacher to easily incorporate STEM and Sustainability into my teaching. For the student, it has allowed them to start thinking about how they want to be real citizens of the world." - Civitas Academy Two photos on bottom right show students and teachers working with scientific equipment in classroom/lab settings. Footer shows funding credit "Funded by DEFRA Air Quality Grant" and logos for partner organizations: Design Nature, University of Reading, Stantec, Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs, and Reading Borough Council.

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

Air Quality word search (opens in new window)

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.

Blue background with logos of various participating partners: Reading Borough Council, Design Nature, Stantec, University of Reading and Defra.
Last updated on 08/09/2025