BRADFORD Cathedral will host a memorial service to a popular head teacher on Wednesday.

Gareth Dawkins, who had led Bradford Academy since it opened in 2007, died in October, aged 58, after suffering two major heart attacks while on a half-term break in Suffolk.

Mr Dawkins had been a stalwart of the district’s education system, helping establish the academy as executive principal and having a hand in the success of several other schools in the district.

Wednesday afternoon’s service is for school staff, and will also be attended by heads and school leaders from across the district.

The Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, has also been invited.

A private family funeral was held at Mr Dawkins’ family home in Ipswich.

Bradford Academy will be closed on Wednesday to allow the staff who worked with him to attend the service.

Mr Dawkins was involved in local school partnerships, and was a member of the Bradford Schools Forum, which helps decide how school funding is distributed through the district.

As well as setting up Bradford Academy, Mr Dawkins had been deputy head at the old Greenhead School in Keighley for five years until 1999.

He then returned to the now University Academy Keighley, in January 2011, as joint executive principal.

The message to students, staff and parents on the Bradford Academy website says: “Mr Dawkins was influential both across the district and nationally, and in order to celebrate his life and work there will be a memorial service at Bradford Cathedral on Wednesday, November 30, at 3.30pm.

“The academy will be closed on this day to all students so that all staff can attend the service and as a mark of respect to a man who made a difference to so many lives.”

After his death Judith Kirk, Bradford Council’s deputy director for Children’s Services, said it was “a very tragic loss for the district” adding: “Gareth has worked extremely hard, over many years, and has made a considerable and positive impact on the lives of many young people.”

Howard Astin, chairman of governors, said he had “enabled the children of the BD4 and BD5 areas to prosper”.