Get involved in SAMHE
SAMHE is in a new phase. We're still working with UK schools to better understand classroom air quality but are no longer recruiting new schools to host monitors. Schools with SAMHE monitors can keep using the Web App to explore their data. Schools without a monitor can access SAMHE activities through our new Teacher Resource Pack.
We are working on SAMHE extension projects with selected groups of schools through additional funding and partnerships. We are looking for additional funding to support more SAMHE work, including further analysis of the SAMHE data.
See how you could get involved and sign up to the SAMHE newsletter via our contact form to keep up with project developments and further scientific findings and for inspiring stories of how schools are using SAMHE to learn about their classroom air.
Find out moreWhat has the SAMHE initiative achieved so far?
Watch the team present key achievements and some of our findings on air quality in UK schools from our original funded period (April 2022 - July 2024). This webinar was given in July 2024.
We held a separate, schools-facing webinar to share our findings with teachers and pupils at SAMHE schools.
News and Updates
NEWS
Findings from a full year of SAMHE data
16 September 2024
Our latest technical report examines air quality in SAMHE schools throughout the 2023-24 academic year. Once again, the analysis suggests that keeping classrooms warm during colder weather periods may, for some schools, provide a significant barrier to providing adequate ventilation, with some monitors recording daily mean CO2 values above the maximum government guideline of 1500 ppm during cold periods.
Particulate matter levels fluctuated over the course of the academic year but generally remained below the maximum daily mean value of 15 μg/m3 recommended by the World Health Organisation.
We've also published a paper on assessing classroom ventilation rates, using data from SAMHE monitors, which shows that ventilation rates in occupied classrooms are generally low.
You can access these and all the SAMHE project reports and research papers, on our Outputs page, along with short, simple summaries which aim to make the findings accessible to teachers, pupils (with teacher support for younger pupils), parents and others. We will continue to add new outputs to the page as they are published in the months and years to come.
Launching our Teacher Resource Pack!
05 September 2024
Our free Teacher Resource Pack is now available! It enables schools without a SAMHE monitor to access parallel versions of many of the educational activities in the SAMHE Web App, including quizzes, data analysis, videos, and creative activities.
The pack contains 20 activities that can be used to teach pupils from age 5 - 18 about air quality and support their development of a range of different curriculum based skills. Teacher guidance is embedded throughout and we have included example data and graphs for pupils to work with. Many of the activities complement curriculum teaching and they can also be used for extracurricular activities, such as science clubs.
SAMHE is now in a new phase and no longer offering air quality monitors to schools, so we're delighted to be able to offer this stand-alone pack to enable all schools to benefit from the resources we've developed.
Download the Teacher Resource Pack from our Get Involved page.
Watch recordings of the SAMHE webinars
03 September 2024
In July we held two webinars to share our findings on air quality in UK schools. One was for pupils and staff at SAMHE schools and the other was a public webinar open to all. As part of these we received and answered some really interesting questions. Watch the recordings:
We've also produced a short video introducing pupils to two key scientific papers on SAMHE's methods. This is designed to support the SAMHE Methods papers activity which can be found both in the SAMHE Web App and our teacher resource pack. In the video, Professor Sarah West talks through two key SAMHE papers, why we wrote them and what we learned through the process of co-design.
You can find summaries of all reports and research papers about the SAMHE project that have been published by the SAMHE team to date, with links to the full versions for those interested in reading about our work in more detail, on our Outputs page.
We anticipate publishing more findings over the coming months and years. Sign up to receive the SAMHE newsletter to stay in touch with our findings and further project developments.
Although our initial funding came to an end on 31 July 2024, there are still plenty of ways for schools and others to be involved in SAMHE. Read more on our new look Get Involved page.
NEWSLETTERS
SAMHE Newsletter #13
September 2024
Featuring inspiring stories from SAMHE schools, new activities and data visualisations, our latest findings and ways we're sharing them with those who can make a difference to air quality in UK schools.
SAMHE Newsletter SPECIAL ISSUE
September 2024
This special issue is to share the launch of our Teacher Resource Pack for schools without a SAMHE monitor! We also share recordings of our webinars on SAMHE's findings and tell you what we're doing next!
SAMHE Newsletter #11
June 2024
Featuring new activities and a poster competition for Clean Air Day (20 June) and inviting you to a webinar to hear what the SAMHE project has discovered about air quality in UK schools! Plus more research findings, additional resources and the chance to use your STEM expertise to support schools.