Noise issues within classrooms, halls and communal areas can become even more noticeable following a sustained period away from school, such as the summer break.

Sound Reduction Systems (SRS) is helping schools make improvements by providing a free consultation and assessment to put an effective acoustics upgrade action plan in place.

They manufacture and install a wide range of acoustic solutions for public, commercial and domestic buildings, have also worked extensively within schools, colleges and universities to improve the learning environment.

Their in-depth knowledge of acoustic design for schools in line with Building Bulletin 93 (BB93) from Section E4 of Building Regulations Part E, provides school managers, headteachers, architects and consultants with the most dependable solutions.

These are designed to address whatever combination of acoustic issues a school is facing, be it sound reverberation, airborne noise, impact noise or ambient noise.

A number of studies from around the world have highlighted the damage that noisy school environments can cause. One study found that when the background noise increases by 10 decibels, Standard Achievement Test scores drop by an average 5-7%.

Two other studies found that students speak 10 decibels lower in a good sound environment and they stay more focused and do not get as tired.

The effect on teachers is evident too, with research finding that teachers are 32 times more likely to have voice problems than people in similar professions, and one study calculating that 73,000 teaching days are recorded as lost in UK primary schools every year due to teacher voice strain.

Excessive noise in school is even more serious for children who have greater sensitivity to noise, which is particularly significant as children with Special Educational Needs are now routinely taught in a mainstream environment.

Noise can impact much more severely on children with ADHD or autism in particular and be more challenging for students with a hearing impairment. By not addressing these sensitivities, schools could inadvertently be failing on their inclusion goals.

To provide valuable insights into how its products and systems can improve school acoustics, SRS has produced a free guide to BB93, which can be downloaded on their website.