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New 2026 Guidance: Ventilation & Air Quality in Education & Childcare Settings
In February the Department for Education published new guidance on managing ventilation and indoor air quality across schools and childcare settings in England. The document provides practical, operational advice for those responsible for buildings, with a clear focus on monitoring, maintaining and improving air quality day-to-day.
At its core, the guidance reinforces that good ventilation is essential for health, wellbeing and learning outcomes, helping to improve concentration, reduce overheating and limit the spread of airborne pollutants and pathogens between children, who are amongst the most vulnerable to air pollution impacts.
The guidance discusses the importance of regular monitoring of indoor air quality, utilising monitors or environmental sensors and particularly using CO₂ as an indicator of ventilation effectiveness. Poorly ventilated spaces typically feel stuffy and may have unpleasant odours, and measuring CO₂ concentration indicates the proportion of fresh air in a space. Cass Allen has assisted in a number of cases where building occupants were experiencing symptoms related to poor indoor air quality. Measuring a suite of pollutants, including CO2, is typically the first step in determining ambient conditions within the affected space, upon which advice for improvement can be based.
Advice is provided within the document on taking action where ventilation is found to be insufficient, using natural or mechanical solutions. It is vital that windows are not painted shut and that mechanical ventilation systems are cleaned and maintained as appropriate. The guidance touches on the temporary use of air cleaning units (ACUs) to reduce contaminants whilst remedial works are undertaken to improve ventilation systems, however it is emphasised that these units are not an appropriate substitute for fresh air and will not reduce associated CO2 levels.
For organisations involved in education, planning or building management, this represents a continued move towards proactive indoor air quality management, shifting the focus from design standards to ongoing management of real-world spaces. This gives schools and other providers clear, actionable steps to maintain healthy indoor environments for the children in their care.
Please contact the Cass Allen Air Quality team if you wish to take the first step towards following this new guidance or if you have any concerns over the health and wellbeing of staff or students on your premises – we would be glad to support you.
