Children Noise Damage – Aircraft Noise Impacts Skills

90% of Hounslow teachers believe that aircraft noise has an impact on children's skills in literacy and numeracy, and 77% said pupils had difficulty hearing lessons in the classroom as a result of the noise nuisance, according to a recent teacher survey carried out by the London Borough of Hounslow. The findings will be outlined in the Council's submission to the Government on the proposed third runway for Heathrow.

The key concern for the majority of teachers (92%) was that children's ability to learn and concentrate is affected as a result of disruption caused by aircraft noise. In some cases, the noise was so significant that lessons had to be planned around the disruption caused.

Almost three quarters (71%) of teachers said that aircraft noise was a problem in their school Of those:

91% said aircraft noise was an interruption to children's concentration;
63% said aircraft noise interrupted lesson time;
77% said children had problems hearing in the classroom;
40% said it had an adverse effect on children playing outside;
89% said noise insulation and ventilation was necessary throughout the school;
Anecdotally some teachers said that some children such as asylum seekers were frightened by the level of noise.

Cllr Ruth Cadbury, Hounslow's Executive Member for Enhancing our Environment, said: "Residents and teachers in Hounslow have repeatedly raised the issue of noise nuisance and the impact this is having on children's education.

"While our poll wasn't intended as a statistically valid survey, it has raised serious issues on the current impact of aircraft noise nuisance on a child's learning environment. If a third runway is introduced at Heathrow airport, this will only be exacerbated, increasing the nuisance in areas already affected, and bringing disruption to areas currently outside the flight-path," she warned.

Most teachers felt that insulation throughout their schools would be required in order to alleviate the noise nuisance, with 89% saying that significant noise insulation and ventilation was the only way to ensure that pupils were not disadvantaged by noise pollution from aircraft. The Council has estimated that it would cost approximately £26m to fully insulate 37 of the worst affected schools in the borough, with complete rebuilding costing approximately £166m.

Councillor Colin Ellar, Hounslow's Executive Member for Lifelong Learning, added:
"Increasing numbers of flights into Heathrow airport, even before Terminal 5 is completed or the threat of an extra runway materialises, are having a detrimental impact on an ever-increasing number of our students, especially in those schools directly under the flight-paths.

"The Government needs to recognise the difficulties faced by schools on the border of Heathrow and prioritise the building of new schools to replace them. Hounslow's children are learning the basics against a backdrop of incessant aircraft noise and high levels of pollution. Our schools have much to offer young people in their personal development, but there would be much greater achievement if pupils did not have to suffer with the negative effects of Heathrow."

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