GIANT primary schools with more than 800 children will become more common in Bristol over the next few years as part of the plan to cope with increasing pupil numbers.

The school organisation strategy includes plans for two schools – May Park Primary in Eastville and Air Balloon Hill Primary in St George – to become four form entry schools.

Each will take up to 120 reception class pupils each year, building to a total of 840 primary aged children.

Other schools, including Chester Park, are set to expand to a similar size, partly because of a lack of suitable sites in the area to build new standalone schools.

Rob Worsfold, head teacher at Air Balloon Hill Primary, who used to teach at a four form entry primary in London, said they could have many advantages.

"Some people will worry about the size of the school but it is all about how it is managed. This is a big school already," he said.

"We are in buildings that are 106 years old. In the short term, this expansion will mean we get much better temporary classrooms than we have got at the moment. In the longer term we will have state- of-the-art classrooms designed for younger children with outside doors and outside areas where children can play.

"Every year I have parents in tears because their children have not got a place here. This will mean we can offer an extra 30 places a year," he said.