Armstrong Ceiling Solutions explores how ceilings can aid learning for today’s youth

A school is a world in itself; a self-contained eco-system, which like our wider world, is experiencing over-crowding, a distracted population, and ever-more social media outlets clamouring for attention. Teachers face increasing challenges every day, and when it comes to engaging and holding students’ attention, they need all the help they can get. This is where the school’s physical environment comes into play. Here at Armstrong Ceiling Solutions we have outlined a few ways the ceiling itself can aid and promote learning, as well as some of the critical considerations for designing spaces in which learning can thrive.

Sound principles
Research shows that acoustics have a profound impact on learning. Evans and Maxwell’s¹ study of two schools in London, for example, concluded that poor acoustics result in many students struggling to understand one in four words spoken. And, as classroom sizes grow and teachers strain to be overheard, acoustic performance in a ceiling is often the first thing architects turn to for aiding learning. However, it’s not as simple as it may seem.

Minimising classroom din is not just about specifying ceilings with the highest levels of sound absorption. Merely diminishing class noise would – by extension – mute teachers’ voices, leading to vocal strain and fatigue for tutors, as well as classes being unable to hear lessons. A balance is therefore needed between sound absorption and attenuation, between removing and reflecting sound to enable students to hear and teachers to be heard.

Light learning
Research also shows a conclusive link between the provision of natural light and academic success, with one study titled Daylighting Impacts on Human Performance in School² showing that students working in classrooms with higher levels of daylight achieve 7-18 per cent higher test scores. Another study titled Clever Classrooms³ suggests that classroom design has a 25 per cent impact, positive or negative, on students’ academic progress.

Flooding interiors with natural light is a way not just to improve student performance, but also to reduce reliance on artificial lighting. Combining highly white, highly reflective mineral ceiling tiles with larger windows or floor-to-ceiling glazing is an easy solution, but again maintaining a balance is key. Too much natural light can cause eye strain or create glare for students and staff alike. Reflectance must be balanced with diffusion.

Stimulating design
Every architect wants to create stimulating spaces for learning, but designing ceilings for learning environments can be complicated. For example, in classrooms accommodating children with special educational needs, the ceiling specification should avoid designs that could exacerbate their conditions. Best practice, in line with UK Government standards like BB93, also includes minimising reverberation, keeping ceilings low (below 2.4-metres) and using Class A absorbent finishes. A balance needs to be maintained between aesthetics and practicality. Exposed soffits may help to reduce a school’s heating footprint, but they carry their own problems for acoustics and aesthetics. This is a challenge that can be solved through the disguise of unsightly features using suspended ceilings and canopies.

Context is everything
Beyond sound, light and aesthetics, ceilings within the learning environment need to be safe and durable, comply with legislation and meet the unique challenges of each space. Other vital considerations are ease of installation and maintenance. Omni-directional tiles can eliminate many installation errors for an easier fitting process and reduce the need for correction. There are also myriad issues to consider in ceiling placement, from pressure drops (and ‘fluttering’ when doors open) to dust collection and access to the plenum space above.

A world in itself
So, we’ve addressed a few of the key concerns for how the ceiling can actively aid learning, but the educational institution encompasses libraries and canteens, auditoria and offices, kitchens, cloakrooms, toilets and corridors. Architects should take a comprehensive approach to ‘zoning’ throughout a school or college, with each zone part of a wider, self-contained ecosystem. A world in itself that can make a world of difference to future generations.

Contact Details
To learn more about how Armstrong Ceiling Solutions can help you create better spaces for learning, visit the website

Notes:1. Chronic Noise Exposure and Reading Deficits: The Mediating Effects of Language Acquisition. Gary W. Evans & Lorraine Maxwell, Environment and Behaviour – Volume 29, Number 5, Sep 01, 1997.2. Daylighting Impacts on Human Performance in School. Lisa S Heschong, University of California, Santa Cruz. Journal of the Illuminating Engineering Society 31 (2) Sept 2013.3. Clever Classrooms. Professor Peter Barrett Dr Yufan Zhang, Dr Fay Davies, Dr Lucinda Barrett. (University of Salford). Feb 2015.