The fact seven secondary schools in Bradford and district are now super-sized – having more than 1,500 pupils – is causing concern in some quarters.

Those who argue big is not beautiful claim large institutions risk losing the personal touch and that some pupils could fall by the wayside as a result.

They also fear super-sized schools are more likely to experience difficulties maintaining good behaviour among their charges.

Supporters, however, point out big schools can deliver good results and also offer pupils a wider range of options than smaller establishments.

A smaller-school atmosphere can also be fostered by clever time-tabling, the layout of buildings and even the introduction of school houses for pupils.

While there may be benefits to larger schools and ways of compensating, at least in some measure, for their possible down sides, super-sizing is not really something that is happening by design.

Rather, such establishments tend to get so big because they are performing better than their neighbours and so attract more pupils, or they are the only real option in a given area.

In an area such as Bingley, where the Grammar School has expanded on an overcrowed site, the answer is to build an extra school between Crossflatts and Keighley to cope with a population that is set to grow by thousands in the next few years.

But that solution won’t suit every situation and, in other areas, the less popular schools must up their game.