Glyn School Hall Refresh

Project Overview

Glyn School is a thriving co-educational institution located in Surrey, home to approximately 1,700 pupils aged 11 to 18, including a dedicated sixth form. With a busy school hall at the heart of its daily operations and events calendar, the school approached Simply AVS seeking a comprehensive proposal to refresh its existing hall projection and audio systems.

Following an initial enquiry, a Simply AVS engineer conducted a full site visit to assess the existing setup and understand the school's specific requirements. Throughout this process, our team worked closely with school staff to identify the most effective solution — taking care to recommend the retention of any modern equipment already in place where it remained fit for purpose, helping to maximise the school's budget without compromising on quality.

The project was completed successfully, delivering a modernised audio-visual environment that supports the school's day-to-day needs and wider events programme.

Project Scope & Solution

During the initial site survey, Simply AVS evaluated several approaches to refreshing the school hall, with the school's primary requirement being a larger, brighter projected image that would better serve both day-to-day teaching and whole-school events.

Projection & Display

Following a thorough assessment, a new Panasonic laser projector was selected and installed as the centrepiece of the refresh. Unlike traditional lamp-based projectors, laser technology offers significantly reduced maintenance requirements and a longer operational lifespan — an important consideration for a busy school environment. This was paired with a new 5.5 metre electronic projection screen, providing the enhanced image size and brightness the school had requested.

To address the school's concern around losing the projector remote within the large hall, Simply AVS programmed and installed a Biamp controller, enabling staff to raise and lower the screen effortlessly at the touch of a button and turning the projector on and off— removing the reliance on a handheld remote entirely.

Audio

To complement the upgraded projection system, six new 8-inch Crown loudspeakers were installed throughout the hall, carefully positioned to ensure consistent, high-quality sound coverage across the entire space. Each speaker was fitted with a custom meshed cage, providing robust protection suited to a high-traffic school environment without compromising on audio performance.

Project Challenges

As with many school hall installations, the project presented a number of logistical and technical challenges that required careful planning and on-site problem solving.

Installation at Height

The new Panasonic laser projector required installation at a height of approximately 8 metres, presenting immediate access challenges. More significantly, the 5.5 metre electronic projection screen — weighing in excess of 80kg — needed to be lifted and secured to the wall at height. This proved particularly complex as the available lifting equipment was unable to accommodate both the screen and two engineers simultaneously. Simply AVS adapted their approach on site to safely manage the lift and secure the display in position, ensuring the installation met the required safety standards throughout.

Sports Hall Environment

As the hall operates as a fully active sports facility housing three courts, all installed equipment was required to withstand the demands of that environment — most notably the risk of ball strikes. Simply AVS ensured that every component, including the custom meshed speaker cages referenced in the solution section, was specified and positioned with this in mind, providing a durable installation that can perform reliably within the school's day-to-day sporting activities.

Key Requirements

• Maximise the projected image size to make full use of the available wall and hall space.

• Deliver a bright, clear image suitable for use across a range of lighting conditions within the hall.

• Install a fixed control system to eliminate the reliance on handheld remote controls, improving ease of use for staff.

• Specify and install equipment capable of withstanding the demands of an active sports environment, including the risk of ball strikes.

• Where existing equipment was assessed as sufficiently modern and fit for purpose, retain and integrate it into the new system to maximise the school's investment.

Installed Equipment

• Panasonic PT-VMZ82EJ
• Lodo 16:10 540 x 338 Electric Projector Screen
• Bi-amp Uniform 8U
• Crown 8” 2 Way Passive Speaker
• RA Bespoke Mesh Speaker Cage