Commenting on Labour’s warning about the government’s failure to put ventilation measures in place in schools, Julie McCulloch, Director of Policy at the Association of School and College Leaders, said: 

“We welcome Labour’s intervention over the government’s lacklustre response to the critical issue of ventilation in classrooms as a key measure in reducing the risk of Covid transmission.
 
“It took the government until the start of this autumn term even to reach the modest point of rolling out carbon dioxide monitors to schools and colleges. However, these devices merely inform staff when a classroom needs ventilating, which in practice means opening an external window despite the difficulty in maintaining a comfortable learning environment during cold weather. 
 
“The government is now finally providing air cleaning units for special educational needs and alternative provision settings, but expects all other schools and colleges to buy this equipment from an ‘online marketplace’. This penny-pinching and foot-dragging approach is wholly inadequate, and this equipment should be provided to all schools and colleges as required.”