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<p>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.</p><p>Maintaining
adequate ventilation remains the responsibility of individual providers. Where an
area of poor ventilation has been identified that cannot be resolved through simple
measures such as opening doors and windows, schools are advised to explore what remedial
works may be required to improve ventilation. Where it is not possible to maintain
adequate ventilation, it may be appropriate to consider the use of an air cleaning
unit while the underlying ventilation issue is addressed.</p><p>When used properly,
air cleaning units can help reduce airborne contaminants in a poorly ventilated space,
including viruses like COVID-19. 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.</p><p>The department will also make up to
8,000 air cleaning units available for poorly ventilated teaching spaces in state-funded
education providers, where quick fixes to improve ventilation are not possible. These
department-funded units are only available to state-funded schools, colleges and nurseries.
The private sector is autonomous and it is up to independent schools to decide on
whether they want to purchase air cleaning units.</p><p>Deliveries of air cleaning
units will start from this week to special educational needs and disabilities and
alternative provision providers. These were allocated in the first application round
announced in November 2021. The second round of applications is open until 9am on
17 January. All state funded schools, colleges and nurseries can apply.<strong> </strong>Special
and alternative provision providers that were not successful or did not apply in the
first round are also eligible to apply in this round. Once applications have closed,
all applications will be assessed against strict criteria and allocated to providers
based on need. Providers with successful applications will be contacted individually
to arrange delivery, with deliveries expected from February 2022.</p><p>For those
providers that are not eligible for funded units, the online marketplace provides
a route to purchasing air cleaning units directly from suppliers at a suitable specification
and competitive price. The marketplace can be accessed here: <a href="https://s107t01-webapp-v2-01.azurewebsites.net/list/air-cleaning"
target="_blank">https://s107t01-webapp-v2-01.azurewebsites.net/list/air-cleaning</a>.</p><p>Throughout
the COVID-19 outbreak, we have emphasised the importance of ventilation and provided
guidance to providers on ventilation requirements. In addition to our existing guidance
on ventilation we have provided schools, colleges and nurseries with guidance on how
to use the air cleaning units as well as how to order a unit via the marketplace.
The application process has been communicated to providers via our Daily Bulletin
and we continue to support settings with their queries via the Coronavirus Helpline.</p>
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