Charlton Manor head teacher Tim Baker and assistant head Sean Macnamara were interviewed by TV doctor Ranj Singh for a feature on BBC Inside Out London this week (Monday 6th March 2017).

The programme which focuses on surprising stories from the capital every week followed Mr Macnamara on his way to and from school, kitted out with a hi-tech wristband that monitors air pollution and downloads the data to a mobile phone.

Mr Macnamara, who lives in Greenwich, was filmed driving to school on his normal route down a main road while his wife was filmed walking to nursery with their three-year-old and one-year-old sons. The aim of the experiment was to show how people are exposed to air pollution in everyday life. “We are very conscious of health at Charlton Manor and we do a lot to promote good health in terms of healthy eating, cooking, gardening and exercise.

“As a school, we are also trying to tackle air pollution as part of our wider initiatives to do with children’s health,” said Mr Macnamara.

“It will take substantial efforts to reduce the problem but change can happen if the public and parents are aware of how bad it is.

“It wasn’t until I was shown the data that I realised how bad it was and how it actually hits you personally.

“Air quality is a huge issue."

BBC Inside Out London was first broadcast on BBC ONE on 6th March 2017 and you can catch it again on the BBC iPlayer http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer

Find out more at www.charltonmanorprimary.co.uk

Submitted by Carol Ann Walters