London school fits air purifiers in classrooms to protect children from toxic air

A school in west London has installed hi-tech air purifiers in classrooms because teachers were so worried about the impact of pollution on pupils’ long-term health.

Levels of the harmful PM2.5 soot particles associated with diesel engines were immediately cut by 86 per cent inside the three classrooms at Notting Hill Prep School.

The school, where past pupils have included the children of Stella McCartney, Claudia Schiffer, Elle Macpherson, Earl Spencer and Richard Curtis and his wife Emma Freud, is close to heavily congested Ladbroke Grove, which is on seven bus routes.

Christian Lickfett, managing director of Commercial Air Filtration, which installed the IQAir CleanZone SLS purifiers, said: “Air pollution in classrooms across the capital regularly exceed World Health Organisation air quality guidelines, and it’s great to see Notting Hill Prep address this.”

Caroline Armstrong, the school’s Bursar, said: “We were concerned about the high level of pollution in London and wanted to do something to protect our pupils.

"After conducting an onsite assessment, we considered various options and decided to install the IQAir units, as they could be set up in an afternoon, are near silent and required no alterations to the physical building.

“The results were immediate and, importantly, are there for us to see in real time throughout the day. The units offer all-important peace of mind to parents that their children are being looked after when in the classroom.”

Long-term exposure to PM2.5 particles is estimated to result in 29,000 premature UK deaths a year, while children who breathe them in are are more likely to develop asthma.

AirVisual air quality monitors were also installed at Notting Hill Prep to monitor the air quality. They use a laser sensor to measure inside and outside PM2.5 particulates, CO2, humidity and temperature in real time.

The Mayor of London’s Air Quality Fund is currently funding audits of the air quality in 50 schools in London’s most polluted areas with results published in March.