Project Overview: Optimum Acoustics was commissioned to enhance the acoustics of the school hall at Castle East School in Bungay. This special project was of particular significance as Castle East School caters to pupils with Communication and Interaction (C&I) Needs from year 5 to year 11. The aim was to create a more conducive environment for learning and communication while also providing a versatile space for events and venue hire to augment the school’s revenue streams.

The main hall is also a multi use space used for school dinners and at break time. The noise levels when the hall is occupied increases significantly due to the reflective nature of the building finish. Hard wooden floors a bare flat ceiling and reflective walls all contributed to a very echoey space.

Challenge: Castle East School’s hall presented significant acoustic challenges, with a reverberation time peaking at 4 seconds. This posed difficulties for students with special needs, impacting speech intelligibility and overall usability of the space for various activities.

A number of children have resorted to wearing ear defenders whilst using the main hall to reduce the irritation that the poor acoustics causes them.

Solution: Optimum Acoustics proposed a comprehensive solution to address the acoustical issues while ensuring cost-effectiveness for the school. The plan involved the installation of acoustic panels on the ceiling and impact protection panels on the walls.

We proposed our Melaflex Evo acoustic foam panels for the ceiling. Due to the heigh of the ceiling and the light sports use these didn’t have to be wrapped in fabric reducing the cost of covering the required area.

For the walls we recommended our Signature acoustic panels made from a class 0 foam core wrapped in a fabric that would protect the panels from any sports impact.

These panels were strategically placed to reduce the reverberation time to just over 1.1 seconds, significantly improving speech intelligibility and enhancing the overall usability of the hall.

Implementation: The installation was carried out over the school holidays  to ensure minimal disruption to the school’s activities. Optimum Acoustics worked closely with the school administration to schedule installations and work around existing work taking place in and around the school hall. The team adhered to strict safety protocols and completed the project within the agreed timeline.

Results: The results of the project were remarkable. The installation of acoustic panels led to a substantial reduction in reverberation time, greatly enhancing speech intelligibility in the hall. This improvement has created a more inclusive learning environment for students with special needs, which will allow them to engage more effectively whilst using the main hall. Additionally, the enhanced acoustics made the space more attractive for venue hire, providing a much needed additional revenue stream for the school.

Conclusion: The successful completion of the project demonstrated Optimum Acoustics’ expertise in addressing complex acoustical challenges in educational settings. By enhancing the acoustics of Castle East School’s hall, the project not only improved the learning environment for students with special needs but also provided a valuable asset for the school’s community.

Optimum Acoustics is proud to have been a part of this transformative journey and looks forward to continuing to support educational institutions in creating optimal learning environments.

We initially contacted several companies regarding improving the acoustics in our scout hut building as we were looking to reduce noise intensity with the aim of making it a better environment for our young people, and in particular those with sensory issues, as well as adult helpers and volunteers.  David Olima at Optimum Acoustics impressed with his prompt and informative replies and after due consideration we chose the company to carry out the required work.  

We were well advised throughout the project and guided through the process from choosing the correct panels to meet our requirements to final installation and sound testing.  At all times David was patient and courteous even when subjected to our committee based decision making process!  We elected to have Optimum Acoustics complete the whole job including the installation and we are very pleased with the outcome.  The final results are impressive and everyone agrees that the improvement in sound quality significant.

Comments from our section leaders included,

“Wow, such a difference, this is awesome and a real step forward for inclusive scouting”,

“Most definitely noticed the improvement, there is no more echoing and makes for a less noisy environment”,

“Echo and excessive noise is lessened and vocals don’t carry as much.  Definitely makes a big difference and well worth it”  

“A marked improvement inside the hall and it even seems quieter from outside the building”

We’re excited to announce that Optimum Acoustics has been selected to enhance the acoustics of the stunning school hall at Castle East School in Bungay. As a Special School catering to pupils with Communication and Interaction (C&I) Needs from year 5 to year 11, this project holds special significance.
Our proposal not only promises a modeled 4-second reduction in reverberation but also ensures cost-effectiveness for the school. We’re eager to embark on this journey of transforming the acoustics of this space, making it more conducive for students with special needs, while also offering it as a venue for hire, thereby augmenting the school’s revenue streams.
If you’re grappling with acoustical challenges in your space, don’t hesitate to reach out – we’re here to assist you every step of the way.