The hall becomes a school 

In 1925 Braunstone Hall and surrounding land was brought by Leicester Borough Council for £116,500. Some of the land was used to build the South Braunstone housing estate. The children from the estate needed a school and the Council Education Committee leased Braunstone Hall for £170 a year. In August 1932 the school opened for senior pupils but a year later became a primary school. The school was used for 64 years, closing in 1996. 

Back of the school in 1996. Credit - Braunstone History Group

A magical school 

Changes were made to the hall when it became a school although many original features stayed. The three floors were connected by decorative staircases. There were classrooms in the old servants’ quarters that ex-pupils remember being spooky. The building wasn’t well suited to being a modern school. There were no classrooms for craft and art activities and not enough space to move equipment around. Despite this, former pupils remember it being a ‘magical school’. The grounds were used for nature walks and sketching. The Hall and grounds were places that fired pupil’s imaginations. 

Classroom in 1996. Credit - Braunstone History Group

The school during World War Two 

During the war the school was open all day for local children. The school cellars were used as air raid shelters by pupils and teachers. The building was also used by the local Home Guard Unit. In 1944 soldiers from the American 82nd Airborne Division were housed in Nissan huts in the park. The American soldiers would give pupils’ doughnuts, fruit and chewing gum. For a few years after the war the Nissan huts were used as an infant school.