Leongatha Secondary College

The Challenge

At Leongatha Secondary College, the goal of every classroom is simple – create an environment where students can focus, engage, and clearly understand their teacher. But in Classroom, that goal was being challenged by something invisible yet powerful: poor acoustics. Like many classrooms across Australia, Classroom was built with hard surfaces – plasterboard walls, standard ceilings, and flooring that reflected sound rather than absorbing it. While functional from a construction perspective, this type of design creates a common acoustic issue: excessive reverberation and echo.When SoundFix conducted initial testing, the results confirmed the problem. The room recorded an average reverberation time (RT60) of 1.83 seconds. For a classroom, this is significantly above the recommended range of approximately 0.6 to 0.8 seconds for effective speech clarity.

Neurodivergent students and those with hearing sensitivities are disproportionately affected. This is not just a noise issue, it’s a learning issue. The challenge at Leongatha Secondary College was clear: Reduce echo, improve speech intelligibility, and create a classroom environment that supports effective teaching and learning.

The Solution

To address the issue, SoundFix designed a targeted acoustic treatment focused on ceiling acoustic panels, one of the most effective methods for achieving echo reduction and noise control in classrooms. In educational environments, the ceiling plays a critical role in how sound behaves. It is the largest uninterrupted surface in the room and often the primary source of sound reflection. By treating this surface with high-performance acoustic panels, sound energy can be absorbed before it reflects back into the space.

The solution for Classroom  was carefully engineered to:

Improve speech clarity across all frequencies, particularly mid-range speech frequencies (500 Hz – 2 kHz)

Provide consistent acoustic performance across the entire room

Integrate seamlessly with the existing classroom environment

Rather than over-treating the space, the approach focused on strategic ceiling coverage – placing panels where they would have the greatest impact. This is a key principle in acoustic design: It’s not about more panels – it’s about the right panels in the right place. By using high NRC-rated ceiling acoustic panels, the system was designed to absorb a significant portion of sound energy, dramatically reducing echo and improving overall acoustic balance.

The Installation

In a school environment, installation needs to be carefully planned around schedules, safety, and minimal disruption to learning. The SoundFix team coordinated closely with Leongatha Secondary College to ensure the installation could be completed efficiently, without impacting classroom operations. Works were scheduled during appropriate windows to allow for a smooth and safe process.

The installation included:

Precise layout of ceiling acoustic panels based on acoustic modelling

Secure fixing systems compliant with school safety standards

Clean and efficient installation with minimal intrusion

Alignment with existing ceiling structure for a seamless finish

Because ceiling acoustic panels are lightweight and adaptable, the installation was completed quickly, transforming the room without requiring major structural changes. This is one of the major advantages of acoustic panel systems in education settings, they provide high-impact results with minimal disruption.

The Outcome:

The results in Classroom were immediate, measurable, and highly impactful. After installation, the reverberation time dropped from 1.83 seconds to 0.92 seconds – a 50% reduction in echo. This improvement brought the classroom significantly closer to optimal acoustic conditions, particularly in the frequencies most critical for speech.The results in Classroom were immediate, measurable, and highly impactful.

After installation, the reverberation time dropped from 1.83 seconds to 0.92 seconds — a 50% reduction in echo. This improvement brought the classroom significantly closer to optimal acoustic conditions, particularly in the frequencies most critical for speech.

The transformation at Leongatha Secondary College highlights a critical issue across the education sector. Many classrooms are not designed with acoustics in mind.

Acoustic treatment using ceiling acoustic panels directly addresses these issues by controlling how sound behaves within the space. As schools increasingly focus on wellbeing, inclusivity, and performance, acoustics plays a vital role in achieving these outcomes. Improving noise control is not just an upgrade – it’s an investment in education quality and student success.

Acoustic Solutions to Your Loud Classroom

Before: 1.83seconds
After: 0.92 seconds

Does Your School Have a Noise Problem?

If your classrooms are experiencing echo, noise, or poor speech clarity, it’s not something that needs to be accepted. At SoundFix, we specialise in ceiling acoustic panels, echo reduction, and noise control solutions for schools across Australia. We work with educators, facility managers, and decision-makers to create spaces that support learning, wellbeing, and performance.

👉 Get in touch today for an acoustic assessment
👉 Receive tailored recommendations for your classrooms
👉 Transform your learning environment with proven solutions

Because in education, clarity isn’t optional – it’s essential. Contact SoundFix Acoustics today to book your free noise assessment and discover how our ceiling acoustic panels can solve your school’s noise problems for good.