Lecturers W.A. Sutton and Francis Shurrock, and student Colin Lovell-Smith join the Home Defence Corps, while ex-student Juliet Peter joins the Women's Land Army.

Directly after the Second World War the 'old guard' retire en masse from the school. Francis Shurrock, Archibald Nicoll, Richard Wallwork, Cecil Kelly and Rata Lovell-Smith all leave this year. Colin G. Lovell-Smith, Dip.F.A. is appointed Director (acting 1945–47, Director 1947–60). Russell Clark is appointed to staff (1945–65, Senior Lecturer 1949–1965).

Plans are underway to build a new art school on a site at the corner of Gloucester and Montreal Streets, but this is never realised.

A new constitution leads to the reorganisation of the school as a senior school for fine arts, restricting admission to students over 16 years, and dropping most of the technical classes.

Florence Akins introduces a course in Weaving and Tapestry

John Oakley (1946–66) and John N. [Jack] Knight (1946–77) are appointed to the staff.

The facilities for art students become increasingly inadequate, and plans for a new art school on the Montreal and Gloucester Street site are again reactivated, but are dropped in 1950 in favour of a new College of Engineering.

The school's Prospectus notes that its facilities consists of a life studio, antique studio, still-life studio, architectural room, modelling studio, lecture room and library in the main building. Metal work and printmaking classes take place in a nearby building.

Courses include:

• Painting: drawing from common objects, painting from still life, drawing and painting from the antique cast, landscape drawing and painting, drapery study, etching, lithography, woodblock and linoleum cutting, drawing and painting from life, pictorial design, figure composition and book illustration.
• Sculpture: elementary modelling, drawing from the figure, anatomy, drapery study, modelling from life, modelled composition, stone and wood carving.
• Commercial art: drawing from common objects, lettering, pen and brush, poster design, perspective, drawing from the cast, pen and ink, still life painting, landscape painting, life drawing and painting, book illustration, pictorial design, etching, lithography, wood and linoleum printing, silkscreen printing.
• Metal and craft design: drawing from common objects and cast; design and colour, principles of ornament, lettering, life drawing, modelling, répousse in copper and silver, enamelling, cloisonné and champleve, jewel setting, casting in metal, fabric design and printing.
• Needlecraft courses: drawing from the common objects, drawing from the cast, principles of design, design in black, white and colour, historic and peasant embroideries, plain and tapestry weaving.

Eric J. Doudney is appointed to the staff as senior lecturer in sculpture (1949–70, Reader 1966–1970).