School run scandal

In 2024-25, Global Action Plan resumed our partnership with FIA Foundation on the School Run Scandal project, this time working with a school in Wirral, Merseyside and (via Global Action Plan Polska) a school in Warsaw, Poland to raise students’ voices to change the systems around them, and tackle air pollution in their communities.

What happened:

Two schools took part; one in Warsaw and the other in Merseyside. Over five workshops, student participants explored how air pollution was affecting their lives and communities. They became air quality investigators exploring vehicle emissions using TRUE, a data tool developed by the ICCT FIA Foundation. They then used their new expertise to articulate their own concerns, advocate for their school communities, and develop calls to action.

Global Action Plan took a non-prescriptive and student-centred approach. The young people taking part identified their own objectives and worked to achieve their outcomes. In telling their stories, students in Poland and the UK found much in common and created a powerful, unified call for cleaner air and safer journeys.

Among the exercises that the young people did, were digital postcards that they sent to each other. Students produced short videos for their international counterparts, introducing themselves and sharing the outcomes that they were working towards.

Around the world, 93% of children breathe dangerously dirty air. Hear from students in Poland and the UK as they raise their voices against air pollution in their communities.

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Case studies

Students and adults pose for a photo at the front of the classroom

School: Woodchurch Church of England High School

Region: Wirral

Country: UK

Number of students:15 year 9 science students

This school was recommended to us by Liverpool City Region pollution leads as a school that would particularly benefit (significant social challenges and 36.4% pupils eligible for free school meals).

Many Woodchurch students are dependent on private vehicles. Public transport connections are poor and students complain about infrequent and unreliable bus services. The neighbourhood is intersected by the busy M53 and A552 making active travel especially difficult.

In Wirral, the students presented compelling ideas to local councillors who pledged funding to transform local walking and cycling routes

Students gathered around computers working on air quality activities together

School: XXXV Liceum Ogólnokształcące z Oddziałami Dwujęzycznymi im. Bolesława Prusa (‘Prus’)

Region: Warsaw

Country: Poland

Number of students: 24

Working in Warsaw presented an opportunity to explore young peoples’ lived experiences of the new Warsaw clean air zone (its implementation was shaped by TRUE data).

In Warsaw, the School Run Scandal students created petitions, gathered signatures from the school community, and presented the project to the Municipal Youth Council.

"The school had the opportunity to promote the environmental and engaging project in the local community and beyond. The project showed the impact of air pollution on human health, and students have realised that they can call for changes to improve transportation in Warsaw.

The project will be presented at the annual regional conference With Technology into the World of Science at Teachers Training Centre for IT in May 2025. And it will be presented again as an option to follow at the kick off seminar for a regional school competition in science and IT technology in the new school year 2025-2026." - Lead teacher Renata Soloducha

What was achieved

Students in both schools reached out to local authorities and, in their own words, called for the changes they wanted to see.

In Warsaw, students were invited to discuss the petitions they presented to local government. They will be presenting their project to students from up to twenty schools at a regional natural sciences expo hosted by Prus High School. Renia, the school lead from Prus High School has supported students to continue do extra work around air pollution and active travel with an extra credit mechanism similar to and Extended Project Qualification.

Woodchurch students’ campaign leveraged additional funding from Wirral Council. Funding was announced on-the-spot from banners and messaging to support active, safe travel as well as funding for lighting and litter bins around the identified M53 underpass (a barrier to students choosing to walk to school).

We believe this programme has helped foster a lasting relationship between schools and local authorities and will help our schools and young people to continue to advocate for cleaner air and safer journeys.

I am delighted that the School Run Scandal project - supported by the FIA Foundation and the TRUE Initiative - has given students from the UK and Poland the opportunity not only to learn more about the issue of vehicles and dirty air, but also to exchange experiences and press for change.

Sheila Watson, Deputy Director – FIA Foundation

Students from England and Poland talk about their involvement in the project. (Make sure to switch subtitles on for translation of Polish students into English)

Students in Poland placing cut out figures on a whiteboard

Our thanks go to FIA Foundation for their support with this project, to Prus School, Warsaw and to Woodchurch Church of England High School, Wirral, Merseyside.