School Mission Statement

The School was built by Hugglescote Building Contractors E. ORTON & DALBY Ltd and came to the total sum of £11,449 instead of the sum granted below.

A proposal was put before the Leicester Corporation finance committee, by Mr R Hallam (Councillor) on 26th October 1928 for the granting of the sum of £12,726 for the proposal of an Open Air School to be built in Western Park. This proposal was granted

The School was based on a pioneering German scheme of a well-ventilated centre for children with chest and breathing problems.

The school specialised in providing children who were regarded as " delicate" with education, some children had physical-handicapps or were seriously ill in some way.

Up until the early 1950s most children who attended the school received a breakfast, lunch and tea before leaving school.

Western Park School was one of the first school purposely built to educate and treat children with respiratory problems this included TB. It was thought at that time that Leicester's clean air would cure breathing problems (unlike today).

The School itself is 1 of 7 "OPEN AIR SCHOOLS" built within the United Kingdom and is the only 1 that was of solid constructions, WESTERN PARK OPEN AIR SCHOOL is now the only "OPEN AIR SCHOOL" that is STILL STANDING as all the others were built of wood and have fallen into disrepair over the years and have been demolished over concerns of public safety.

On the 14th September 2011 The whole of the Leicester's Western Park Open Air School was recognised as a place of national importance and therefore provided with a Grade 2 listed building listing by English Heritage, defined as a place of national importance to the history of health.

All children who attended the school received full national curriculm education and received full medical care at the sametime which was unknown in other schools across the united kingdom.


					Interesting Western Park Open Air School Facts

					The School was built by Hugglescote Building Contractors E. ORTON & DALBY Ltd and came to the total sum of £11,449 instead of the sum granted below. A proposal was put before the Leicester Corporation finance committee, by Mr R Hallam (Councillor) on 26th October 1928 for the granting of the sum of £12,726 for the proposal of an Open Air School to be built in Western Park. This proposal was granted The School was based on a pioneering German scheme of a well-ventilated centre for children with chest and breathing problems. The school specialised in providing children who were regarded as " delicate" with education, some children had physical-handicapps or were seriously ill in some way. Up until the early 1950s most children who attended the school received a breakfast, lunch and tea before leaving school. Western Park School was one of the first school purposely built to educate and treat children with respiratory problems this included TB. It was thought at that time that Leicester's clean air would cure breathing problems (unlike today). The School itself is 1 of 7 "OPEN AIR SCHOOLS" built within the United Kingdom and is the only 1 that was of solid constructions, WESTERN PARK OPEN AIR SCHOOL is now the only "OPEN AIR SCHOOL" that is STILL STANDING as all the others were built of wood and have fallen into disrepair over the years and have been demolished over concerns of public safety. On the 14th September 2011 The whole of the Leicester's Western Park Open Air School was recognised as a place of national importance and therefore provided with a Grade 2 listed building listing by English Heritage, defined as a place of national importance to the history of health. All children who attended the school received full national curriculm education and received full medical care at the sametime which was unknown in other schools across the united kingdom.