Audenshaw School - School Hall and Canteen AV
The Client and The Challenge
Audenshaw School is an all-boys secondary school with approximately 1,200 students aged 11 to 16 and can be found in the suburbs of East Manchester.
Highlighted by its latest ‘Good’ OFSTED (Office for Standards in Education) rating, the school continuously looks for innovative ways to improve the learning experience for its pupils.
Audenshaw School contacted Green Monkey in May 2024 to enquire about replacing some outdated audio visual equipment in the main hall and the canteen.
Main Hall
There was a requirement in the main hall to replace a legacy projector with something with a higher specification. The projector is mounted on a high balcony.
Canteen screen
There was also a requirement to replace a large projector screen that was no longer working correctly with a powered screen that could be controlled along with an existing projector from a simple control unit.
They also had an AV cabinet that needed replacing. All the existing equipment from the old cabinet needed testing, replacing where applicable and rewiring.
Our engineers promptly visited the school to see the rooms so that we could offer forward an accurate quotation to carry out the works.
The Proposal
We wanted to reuse as much of the legacy equipment as possible in order to keep the costs down for the school.
School Hall
Our engineers suggested installing an 8600 lumens projector with a long throw lens on a custom bracket on the lighting bar of the balcony.
We chose to go with a large venue laser projector with high brightness due to the distance to the screen and overall brightness in the hall from the windows. Laser projectors have lower running costs and can last up to 20,000 hours, way longer than lamped projectors.
Additionally, we included a wall input plate to send an HDMI input up to 70m away. This allows the school to connect laptops and other devices from a central location without having to physically go up to the projector.
Canteen
We opted for the Sapphire SmartMove Electric Projector Screen as these are the perfect solution designed for installation where an extra drop is required to cope with very high ceilings. This specialist projector screen has a unique design which allows you to drop the screen down from the barrel casing, but also drop the barrel casing itself lowering the viewing area even further.
We decided to pair the screen with the matching Sapphire Screen Trigger Kit.
This clever kit can sense when the projector is turned on and automatically lowers the screen to display the image and then when the projector is turned off, the trigger kit tells the screen to roll back up.
We also installed a control unit that can handle up to eight custom commands like volume control and power on/off.
In the canteen we had to consider the access as the engineers would be working at height. Our quotations included all access equipment, programming and installation, as well as System design, installation, commissioning and training.
Next Steps
Once we had submitted our quotation we then worked with the school to price match and tweak the quotation to keep within their budget constraints. We did offer leasing option as a way as spreading the costs but in the end the school decided to fund as single full price purchase.
Once the school had completed their due diligence and their procurement process we were given the go-ahead to complete the works. The installation was scheduled to take place during the summer holidays.
The Installation
The installation was carried out by our lead engineer Graham Mitchell along with Daniel Gaskell, and Phil Raftree. Having IPAF training allowed the team to make use of a scissor lift so that the team could work safely and efficiently.
The initial plan was to fit the new screen onto the existing brackets from the old screen, but upon inspection above the ceiling, it was clear that these weren't suitable. The team had to think on their feet, and adapt. To solve this problem, they constructed a frame using Unistrut and fitted this onto the steel purlins in the roof. This meant the engineers could safely secure the new screen.
The existing AV rack had become very cluttered and untidy after years of equipment being added and replaced. The team took it upon themselves to give it some well needed TLC, and stripped out any decommissioned cables etc, allowing the staff at the school to easily use the equipment they do have.
The Result
Watch the video of the transformation:
What The Customer Thought
"We approached Green Monkey AV for a new project to refresh our two assembly areas. We were impressed with the knowledge of the visiting team, who were polite, friendly and professional. They also gave us a range of possible solutions, allowing us to choose the hardware that would best suit our needs.
Once we’d selected the setup we required, we found GMAV’s quote to be very competitive and good value for the high standard of work provided.
The work schedule was agreed with us in advance and the team carried out a full refresh of our screen, projector and sound equipment within the timeframe. They explained the work carried out and provided training to ensure we knew how to use the new equipment.
The solution made our audio visual equipment easier to use, with built in Sapphire screen triggers and control panels replacing the requirement for remote controls that were stored loosely and could be lost.
The school’s teaching staff and senior team have been impressed with the new equipment and it has had a big impact on not only internal assemblies, but how we present ourselves to parents and potential students.
We would not hesitate to recommend GMAV as an AV solution provider."
Mrs Sarah Monks
Head of Executive Services
Audenshaw School Academy Trust
