 The school building was designed by Henry John Snell (1843–1924), who was responsible for a number of Plymouth's 19th century buildings.Hyde Park was the last school designed and built by the Plymouth School Board before the local authority took over responsibility for education in 1903, and it was officially opened by the Mayor of Plymouth on 27 May 1904.Upon opening the school had the capacity for 512 infants on the ground floor, 480 girls on the first floor and 430 boys on the third floor as well as two classrooms in the basement and a large playground with covered sheds.