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.