During the autumn term, the department provided over 353,000 CO2 monitors to all state-funded education providers, including early years, schools and further education colleges, backed by £25 million in government funding. Feedback suggests that schools are finding the monitors helpful to manage ventilation and, in the majority of schools, colleges and nurseries, existing ventilation measures are sufficient.

All department-funded CO2 monitors are supplied with a 1 metre USB cable that can be plugged into a standard USB power source, such as mains adaptors or laptop. Schools, colleges and nurseries can use any standard USB plug adaptor for the CO2 monitors, such as ones used to charge mobile phones or other electrical devices. This is the primary means of powering the devices, batteries are a back-up. The life of the back-up battery is variable based on the refresh rate of the device and if providers wish to use the CO2 monitor battery powered. In most cases, they can extend battery life by changing the refresh rate on their CO2 monitors. We have provided schools, colleges and nurseries with guidance on how to use their monitors effectively. Education providers can also contact the supplier of their device if they have any technical queries.

If any school feels they have received an insufficient number of CO₂ monitors to cover approximately one monitor for every two teaching rooms, they should request additional monitors via the department’s Coronavirus Helpline. Similarly, where the lack of plugs is causing challenge, education providers should contact the department via the department’s helpline for additional support.

CO2 monitors are an additional measure that we are rolling out to education providers to be used as a guide for where ventilation can be improved. It is up to school leaders to decide how to best use them in their specific environment. There is no requirement from the department for providers to record readings or share these with the department. Feedback suggests that the monitors are acting as a helpful tool to manage ventilation, sitting alongside the other protective measures in place to manage transmission, such as regular testing, vaccinations and increased hygiene.

The department recognises that schools may be facing pressures this winter, particularly where energy prices have increased. As well as helping to identify areas that are poorly ventilated, CO2 monitors can be useful to help providers balance good ventilation with keeping classrooms warm. When CO2 monitors indicate good ventilation, there is no need to keep windows fully open at all times at the expense of keeping classrooms warm. Opening windows regularly for 10 minutes, or a small amount continuously, can still reduce the airborne risk from COVID-19 substantially compared to spaces with no fresh air. In addition to the department-funded CO2 monitors and air cleaning units, and accompanying guidance on ventilation, all schools can access a range of school resource management tools to help them get the best value from their resources, including two Schools Commercial Team recommended deals for energy costs and ancillary services relating to energy, which can be accessed via the “Find a DfE-approved framework for your school” service on GOV.UK.

For education providers with particularly poor ventilation, we are supplying up to 7,000 units in response to feedback from providers, where quick fixes to improve ventilation is not possible. This is in addition to the 1,000 department-funded air cleaning units that we announced on 18 November for special educational needs and disabilities and alternative provision providers.

When used properly, air cleaning units can help reduce airborne contaminants in a poorly ventilated space, such as SARS-CoV-2 particles, dust, pollen amongst other pollutants. Air cleaning units are not a substitute for ventilation and should never be used as a reason to reduce ventilation. They are not necessary in spaces that are adequately ventilated.