Setting standards

This summer refurbishment project for Alleyn’s School transformed five teaching spaces into a prototype for establishing the school’s ideal learning environment. Whilst the project involved bringing the Alleyn’s brand to life through interior design, the deeper work focused on achieving acoustic and lighting standards that significantly exceed current government requirements – creating spaces that genuinely enhance how children learn.

Feeling the sound

Working with acoustic specialists Apex Acoustics and Richard Hinton (One of our specialist partners), we targeted a reverberation rate between 0.6 and 0.8 – the standard recommended for children with complex special educational needs, and substantially more than the government guideline of 1.1. This was achieved through a battened-out Wood Wool ceiling, with 45mm rock wool above. The effect when entering the room is palpable – an emotional response where the space feels calmer and less intimidating.

Seeing not lighting

The lighting strategy, developed in collaboration with specialist Andrew Bissell from Ridge, considered that much of learning occurs through communication and facial expression. Beyond providing correct lux levels at table height, we focused on perimeter lighting to ensure educators’ faces remain visible even when backlit against windows. A flexible spotlight system allows teaching aids and whiteboards to be clearly illuminated, eliminating hot spots whilst maintaining visual comfort throughout the space.

Calm and natural

We also applied the same thinking to the early years and primary classrooms, adapting the environmental design strategy appropriately. The early years spaces embrace best practice with nature as a stakeholder, using natural materials and soft, muted, calm tones.

All in the details

This prototype aims to set a new classroom standard for Alleyn’s while demonstrating a broader principle – that achieving higher acoustic and lighting performance enhances how children learn through sight and sound, as not all children are aware of whether they have audio processing or perception and vision challenges. Miss-hearing details like a vital word or explanation, or not seeing a diagram or facial expression properly, could make all the difference.

Data

Client: Conita Schools / Alleyns Hampstead
Size: all years
Skills: Experience Strategy, Interior Design, Acoustic Design, Lighting Design and FF&E.
Status: Opened September 2025