The deputy head teacher of a Bradford secondary school insists he is unconcerned with being asked to enrol hundreds of extra pupils to ease the school places squeeze.

Five schools have been asked to hike up their capacities when they are remodelled as part of the third phase of Bradford Council’s Building Schools for Future (BSF) programme.

Thornton Grammar School, in Leaventhorpe Lane, would take up to 2,150 pupils, way beyond the 1,350 children at the school this year.

Several new buildings will be built at the school as part of its redesign.

Deputy head teacher Chris Sampson said the school was in a strong position to manage the hikes.

When the district’s schools were reorganised into a two-tier system at the start of the decade, Thornton’s student body grew from 900 pupils to 1,500 pupils. Mr Sampson said: “We believe it is a great opportunity for Bradford as a whole and we are pleased to co-operate with Bradford Council on this.

“The BSF building will be built to accommodate them. We have no concerns. It will be fairly challenging but it’s about good management.

“We see it as a challenge and an opportunity for the people of west Bradford. We were asked to take an expansion and we are particularly excited about increasing the sixth form.”

The proposed new sixth form would accommodate a maximum of 500 teenagers – 275 more than in the current sixth form.

Belle Vue Girls’ and Belle Vue Boys’ schools, in Heaton, Carlton Bolling College, in Undercliffe, and Queensbury School would also absorb hundreds more students in refurbished buildings.

They would not necessarily operate at maximum capacity when BSF work is completed in 2012. It would instead be reviewed annually.

A consultation with school staff ends on December 11.

Councillor Michael Kelly, the Council’s executive member for services to children and young people, said: “School places are assessed annually and this includes provision for post-16 students.

“Based on the latest pupil forecast for up to 2018, it is apparent that a greater number of places will be needed in parts of the district to cater for the growing population in these areas.

“This forecast is based on reliable data which we receive from partner organisations, such as the NHS and Education Bradford.

“The schools we are proposing to expand are some of those in phase three of our Building Schools for the Future programme. It would be sensible for us to make the most of this scheme now to expand these schools to cope with future demand.”