Fred Nicholson School

Project: Fred Nicholson School

Segment: Education

Country/city: United Kingdom, Swaffham

Architect: Crysta Pestano, Norse Consulting

Installer: SCL

Photographer: Richard Fraser

Production year: 2025

Designing acoustic comfort for SEND education

Fred Nicholson School in Swaffham is Norfolk County Council’s flagship school for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), designed for 224 children and young people aged 3–18 with complex needs. The school provides a calm, supportive and inclusive learning environment tailored to individual needs.

A central heart space welcomes pupils and visitors, where Ecophon Solo™ Circle enhances acoustic comfort and visual clarity. A separate entrance serves the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) unit, supporting a predictable and secure arrival experience.

The building features exposed concrete soffits used as thermal mass, combined with natural ventilation. To balance thermal performance with acoustic comfort, Ecophon acoustic rafts were specified as part of the overall acoustic strategy. In selected areas, Ecophon Gedina™ with Extra Bass provides additional low‑frequency absorption.

Post‑completion testing confirms compliance with Building Bulletin 93 (BB93), including the stricter acoustic requirements for Special Educational Needs (SEN) environments. The project demonstrates how high acoustic performance can be achieved using a sustainable, raft‑based solution.

To support efficient installation, contractor SCL used Ecophon laser projection, enabling precise coordination of the acoustic rafts around structural elements and services. This significantly reduced installation time compared with conventional methods.

By Shane Cryer, Concept Developer, Ecophon UK & Ireland