Purified Air Australia: The overlooked risks of poor air in schools

December 1, 2025

Classrooms are failing students and staff Schools send children into classrooms where the air is often more polluted than in hospitals. The Parliamentary Research Report on Indoor Air Quality (July 2025) shows that poor air compromises learning, harms health, and deepens inequities. Yet many classrooms remain crowded, poorly ventilated, and overlooked, exposing students and staff to risks that are entirely preventable.

Cognitive strain in crowded classrooms The report highlights that high CO₂ levels, common in overcrowded or poorly ventilated classrooms, are linked to reduced concentration, memory, and decision-making. Students expend energy simply coping with stale air, while teachers report lower alertness and higher stress, which makes classroom management more difficult and limits instructional effectiveness.

Disadvantaged students face the greatest risks Schools in regional or under-resourced areas experience the highest IAQ risks due to older buildings and limited ventilation. These same schools already navigate systemic achievement gaps. The report makes clear that unaddressed IAQ disproportionately affects vulnerable students, reinforcing inequity and limiting opportunities for those most in need.

Teacher wellbeing and workforce stability at risk Poor air quality also directly affects staff. Teachers in classrooms with inadequate ventilation experience fatigue, discomfort, and stress, increasing burnout and turnover. Principals already facing staffing pressures confront another hidden barrier to workforce stability. Maintaining healthy, productive staff becomes impossible when classroom air undermines wellbeing.

Duty of care and compliance exposure Healthcare, childcare, and corporate sectors already enforce strict IAQ standards. Schools, where children spend nearly 1,000 hours per year, lag behind. The Parliamentary Report warns that awareness and scrutiny of school air quality are growing. Ignoring these risks carries potential regulatory and legal consequences, challenging schools to meet their duty of care obligations

The urgency to act

Reduce CO₂ and pollutant build-up to support focus and learning
Protect vulnerable students in high-risk schools
Safeguard teacher wellbeing and reduce turnover
Meet duty of care obligations and anticipate regulatory shifts

Purified Air Australia: Protecting students and teachers Purified Air Australia helps schools translate research into action. Through evidence-based assessments and tailored purification systems, we create classrooms where air quality supports learning, staff wellbeing, and compliance. We partner with schools to ensure that children can learn safely and teachers can work in environments that do not compromise their health or effectiveness.

Take Action Today Every day matters. Book an IAQ consultation and secure classrooms that protect learning, equity, and wellbeing.