A school hall extension, a new front entrance and a new staff room could be built at a Portishead school, if planning permission is granted by North Somerset Council.

High Down junior and infant schools in Down Road, want to improve facilities to help them work closer together.

A planning application was submitted ahead of the pupils’ return after the school holidays.

The schools joined under one governing body in January and are now looking to improve facilities for staff and students.

To improve the federation status of the two schools, they want to build a new staff room and offices for senior management, which would be in a central location and available for staff serving the infant and junior schools.

An extension to High Down Junior School’s main hall is also planned, plus a new front entrance, housing the main reception office.

Improvements will be made to the car park and pedestrian access too, if planning permission is granted.

A design and access statement, submitted as part of the planning application, says: “It should be emphasised the proposals are not related to a demand for additional numbers at the school.

“It may however be noted that the school has been adapted to accommodate a breach class in 2012 and has now been asked to accommodate a further breach class.

“The extension of the school car park will assist in accommodating the temporary increase in staff generated by these provisions.”

The car park however will still not be large enough for parents to use it.

The changes to the school hall will ensure it is up to ‘current standards and guidance’ and allow it to be used outside of school hours by the community.

The proposal will be discussed by Portishead Town Council’s planning meeting tonight (Wednesday) at The Folk Hall in High Street. The meeting starts at 7.30pm.