Sacred Heart Parish School

The Challenge

Sacred Heart Parish School is known for its dedication to student growth and community spirit. Yet, like many modern learning environments, the school’s open and hard-surfaced classrooms became a source of ongoing frustration for both teachers and students. The problem was immediately clear: three key classrooms—bustling with energy and creativity—were also plagued by constant noise, excessive echo, and persistent reverberation.

Teachers reported having to raise their voices just to be heard, particularly during group activities. Lessons were frequently interrupted by overlapping voices bouncing around the room. Students struggled to concentrate, especially those who are neurodivergent or sensitive to noisy environments. Parents voiced concerns that their children came home over-stimulated and fatigued, often saying school felt “too loud” for real learning to take place.

Behind the daily experience was a real acoustic problem. Measurements showed that the reverberation time in each classroom far exceeded best-practice standards for education spaces, creating a “loud classroom” effect that impacted everything from speech intelligibility to overall student wellbeing. The school needed an evidence-based, rapid, and cost-effective acoustic solution.

Sacred Heart Parish School’s Rooms 8, 9 and 10—had tall plasterboard walls and a hard ceiling that bounced every laugh, chair scrape and smart-screen jingle straight back at learners.

• Room 8: average reverberation 1.04 s (max 1.73 s at 250 Hz)

• Room 9: average reverberation 1.02 s (peaking at 1.70 s, 250 Hz)

• Room 10: average reverberation 0.96 s (peaking at 1.65 s, 250 Hz)

Anything above 0.6 s muddies speech, so teachers were competing with their own echoes. Students with auditory-processing or sensory issues were hit hardest; headaches, fatigue and disengagement were daily side-effects.

The Solution

SoundFix Acoustics was engaged to design and install a comprehensive noise control package across all three affected classrooms. Our process began with a detailed assessment using advanced measurement tools to map reverberation times at key points in each room.

SoundFix’s acoustics team calculated that covering 60 % of ceiling area plus the first-reflection points on walls would meet the 0.6 s target. Panels were designed to cover both the ceiling and selected wall sections for maximum absorption, without sacrificing valuable display space or the aesthetic feel of the classrooms.

The Installation

With final plans approved, our team scheduled the installation during a weekend to avoid any impact on classes. Our experienced installers worked quickly and efficiently, coordinating with school management to maintain a tidy and safe environment throughout.

Wall panels were then placed in the most acoustically active zones, including areas near interactive whiteboards and reading corners. Every step was guided by precise acoustic modelling to ensure the best possible results.

The entire project, covering all three classrooms, was completed on schedule and without mess. Teachers and staff returned to spotless rooms, ready for the next term.

The Outcome:

The transformation was immediate and measurable. Post-installation testing revealed a dramatic reduction in reverberation times, bringing every classroom within the optimal range for clear communication and focused learning. In practical terms, the difference was unmistakable: teachers no longer needed to raise their voices, students could hear instructions without strain, and group work became less chaotic and more productive.

SoundFix Acoustics achieved a dramatic improvement in classroom noise control and speech clarity at Sacred Heart Parish School by strategically installing acoustic panels across three busy classrooms.

This careful balance of ceiling and wall treatments was tailored to the unique dimensions and needs of each classroom, resulting in a dramatic reduction in reverberation time (RT60). All three spaces now achieve a projected RT60 of just 0.60 seconds—the gold standard for educational environments and a crucial benchmark for clear, comfortable communication.

By transforming highly reflective classrooms into calm, acoustically balanced spaces, we’ve created a learning environment where teachers can speak at normal volumes and students can focus, participate, and thrive. This outstanding result demonstrates the power of engineered acoustic solutions to turn loud classrooms into spaces designed for real learning.

For transparency and future planning, SoundFix Acoustics provided a comprehensive acoustic report—detailing all pre- and post-installation measurements and outlining how these solutions align with national school acoustics standards. The retrofit brings all three rooms under the AS/NZS 2107:2016 guideline of ≤0.6 s RT60 for general teaching spaces, future-proofing the wing for curriculum upgrades and community evening classes.

Quiet Classrooms Start Here

Feedback from educators and students alike was overwhelmingly positive. The once “loud classrooms” were now calm, comfortable spaces where attention was easier to sustain and participation rates soared. Teachers noticed fewer behavioural issues linked to noise, while students described their rooms as “peaceful” and “easy to learn in.” Parents remarked that children came home less tired and more enthusiastic about their day.

The project not only met but exceeded the school’s expectations for noise solutions and acoustic control. With data-driven results and visible improvement in classroom dynamics, Sacred Heart Parish School now serves as a leading example of how investment in the right acoustic panels can revolutionise education.

Is your school, childcare centre, or educational space struggling with excessive noise, echo, or poor acoustics? Let SoundFix Acoustics provide the science-backed, fast, and effective acoustic solutions you need. Our tailored approach delivers real results—creating environments where teachers and students can truly thrive.

Contact SoundFix Acoustics today for a free consultation, and ask for a Sacred Heart Parish School acoustic report to see the difference for yourself.

Results and Impact

Reverberation time was reduced from 1.21 seconds to 0.51 seconds in the critical speech frequency range.

This represents a 59% reduction in reverberation time, which brings the space within (or very close to) the recommended range for classrooms under AS/NZS 2107:2016.