Clean air for Thame schools

As stated in the Thame Green Living Plan: ‘Clean air lies at the heart of a green town’.

In 2021 a coroner’s verdict concluded that air pollution made a ‘material contribution’ to the death of Ella Kissi-Debrah.  This was a world first and added urgency to the need to make changes in our own back yard to help continue to improve the air quality in our own locality. A report by the Glasgow Caledonian University said in July 2021 that, ‘despite ultimately being more deadly than (corona) virus’, climate change has ‘failed to elicit the same level of urgency’ among governments and civil society. It is important that organisations and individuals throughout our country take action to improve the quality of the air that we breathe until the government takes daily control over the issues. Well now, a group of pupils in Thame have done just that!

Anti-Pollution Revolution Takes Over Thame Schools in Oxfordshire First

Pupils across every school in Thame have joined forces to launch an “Anti-Pollution Revolution” as part of a groundbreaking clean air initiative that is believed to be the first project of its kind in Oxfordshire.

The Clean Air for Thame project has brought together pupils from all of Thame’s schools in an ambitious, hands-on programme to better understand air pollution, explore its impacts on health, and help create a cleaner future for their town. This work has been funded by Section 106 funding from South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC), co-ordinated by Thame Town Council and facilitated by CAG Consultants.

At the heart of the project has been a strong commitment from schools, teachers and pupils alike. Through a series of interactive workshops, children and young people learned about the causes of air pollution, how it can affect health and wellbeing, and the practical steps people can take to reduce their exposure.

What makes the project particularly special is its pupil-led approach. Rather than simply learning in the classroom, pupils became air quality investigators, using hand-held monitoring equipment to measure pollution levels on streets around their schools and gather real-world data about the air they breathe every day.

Building on this work, the Lord Williams’s School Year 7 and 8 Eco-Reps continued monitoring air quality throughout the winter and spring months. Their findings have now been used to create an innovative Clean Air Map of Thame, combining scientific data with artwork created by pupils from Barley Hill Primary School, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School and John Hampden Primary School.

The key findings of the work were that roads around the schools had higher pollution at drop off and pick up time than during the rest of the day. In summarising the project solutions, the LWS Eco Reps ask: “Do you really have to drive every time?” The map also incorporates school locations, cycle lanes, green spaces and hand-drawn illustrations of local landmarks created by primary school pupils.

The map highlights cleaner walking and cycling routes across the town, helping families make informed choices about their journeys to school. The map also incorporates school locations, cycle lanes, green spaces and hand-drawn illustrations of local landmarks created by primary school pupils.

The project has provided a unique opportunity for children and young people to see how science, creativity and community action can work together to make a difference.

Students have also worked alongside a professional graphic designer to develop eye-catching campaign materials, including banners and leaflets that will help spread the clean air message across the town. The banners will be displayed at every school site, while the leaflet will be distributed to school communities throughout Thame.

The new Clean Air Map will be launched to schools during the week commencing 22 June, marking the culmination of months of learning, collaboration and investigation.

The Clean Air for Thame project demonstrates what can be achieved when schools, pupils and local organisations work together with a shared goal. By placing young people at the centre of the project, the initiative has not only generated valuable local air quality information but has also empowered a generation of environmental champions to take action in their own community.

From collecting data and analysing results to creating artwork and designing campaign materials, Thame’s pupils have shown that they are ready to lead the anti-pollution revolution—and help create a healthier future for everyone.