The foundation stone for the present building in Middle Road was laid in December 1925, but the school wasn't finished until 1938. The temporary buildings consisted of: a science laboratory; a workshop for woodwork and metalwork; a housecraft room; an assembly room that doubled as art and physics rooms; two staff rooms; and a Headmaster's room. The school had to keep using four rooms at the Porchester Road School, as the temporary buildings at Middle Road couldn't accommodate the large number of pupils. If pupils or staff needed to travel from one end of the school to another, it was a journey of one and a half miles. In 1919, Mr Hemmings started an annual 'prize distribution' and 'speech day'. This took place every July, and is still a tradition that the current Itchen College does today with their annual 'Celebration Event'. Mr Hemmings was transferred to Taunton's School in 1924 and was replaced in 1925 by Mr. E. Cotemann, with the role named as 'principal'. December 1930 Fire Building work to complete the permanent buildings had all but stopped and in 1929 the Board of Education considered the move to complete them and improve the inadequate temporary facilities. However, before the completion plans had been drawn up, fire broke out on 8 December 1930. The Assembly Hall and Art room were completely destroyed, but the temporary huts escaped relatively unscathed. A temporary hall was put up quickly by the Board, but support for new facilities at Itchen languished and was given to two other secondary schools who were deemed to have a greater need for them - King Edward VI School, and the Girls' Grammar School. Improvements to facilities In 1934, Itchen Secondary School was given four new permanent classrooms and the temporary huts were finally replaced with a permanent structure. Principal Cotemann was still fighting for plans to be approved, demanding a gymnasium in 1935. The Board agreed in 1936 and, in 1937, work not only started on the gymnasium, but also on an entire new West Wing. This included an assembly hall (including stage), gymnasium, dining room and kitchen. An additional art room, craft room, Prefect's room, library, and senior mistresses' room were added shortly after. Work on the school was finally completed in 1938, thirteen years after it began. World War II When World War II broke out in 1939, the government's plans to evacuate children