The Client

Gesher School in Pinner, Greater London, is an all-through school supporting pupils aged 4 to 16 with a range of mild to moderate additional learning needs, including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and Down’s syndrome.

The school provides a structured, nurturing environment where communication, routine and independence are central to pupils’ development. The school hall plays a vital role in daily life, hosting assemblies, performances, presentations and community events. For these moments to be inclusive and effective, sound must be clear, consistent and dependable.

Project Brief

Sound Division was appointed to refurbish the existing audio and lighting system in the school hall, which had become unreliable, outdated and difficult to use.

In educational environments, particularly those supporting neurodiverse pupils, audio clarity is critical. Speech must be intelligible and evenly distributed, without sudden changes in level or distracting technical issues. Systems also need to be simple to operate, allowing staff to focus on teaching and supporting pupils rather than managing equipment.

The brief was to deliver a modern, robust system that would improve clarity and reliability, remain straightforward for staff to use, and support a wide range of activities from assemblies and performances to day-to-day school use.

System Solution

Sound Division stripped the existing system back completely, removing legacy cabling throughout the hall and rebuilding the sound cabinet.

The new installation is centred around a Cloud CX462 single zone audio mixer, providing clear, intuitive control over microphone and line inputs. This allows staff to manage sound levels confidently and consistently, without unnecessary complexity.

Two Sennheiser XSW2 handheld radio microphones and two Sennheiser XSW2 headworn radio microphone systems were supplied and installed, offering flexibility for different users and scenarios. Sennheiser antenna extension kits were added to ensure stable wireless coverage across the hall.

The school’s existing Mackie SRM450 powered speakers were retained and fully integrated, as they remain well suited to the space and continue to deliver dependable performance.

The Result

The result is a streamlined, reliable audio system that supports both the school’s day-to-day needs and wider community activities. Assemblies, presentations and performances now benefit from consistent, intelligible sound, helping pupils engage with confidence and ensuring everyone in the space can hear and be heard.

For staff, simplified controls and improved reliability have removed years of frustration, allowing them to focus fully on teaching and supporting students, as Victoria Rutter, Gesher School’s Head of Therapies confirmed:

“Sound Division’s work has transformed our use of the AV system. Now that the new system provides reliable and clear audio and is easy to set up, we’re able to focus our time and attention on events and presentations for our pupils and young people which take place in the hall.

Working with Sound Division was a pleasure; they instantly understood our specific needs and were able to advise carefully, so that we were not making unnecessary expenditure. They were reliable, professional and really understanding of the needs of our school whilst installing. We are so very pleased with the system and their work and look forward to using this equipment for years to come.”

This project reflects Sound Division’s approach to education environments: designing systems around people and realworld use, and delivering solutions that genuinely support communication and inclusion.