A head teacher will be taking on a new role as head of the country’s biggest Catholic school in Bradford.

Lawrence Bentley will have been head of Holy Family Catholic School, in Keighley, for six years when he departs in August.

In September he will become head of the new St Bede’s and St Joseph’s Catholic College, in Bradford.

Mr Bentley was born in Middlesbrough and now lives in Horsforth. He has been Holy Family’s head since 2008.

He said he has enjoyed his time at Holy Family. He was already familiar with the school well before 2008, as he was a trainee teacher there in the mid-1980s.

“I’ve had an amazing time, and it will be a wrench to leave,” he said. “It’s tough, hard, stressful work sometimes, but very rewarding.

“I just hope I’ve done my best for the school and for the wider community of Keighley. I’m proud that this is a good school – not least in the eyes of Ofsted.”

On his new post, he said: “It’s quite an exciting prospect, but it’s also a monster of a job in many ways. However, there are good people there who I’ve worked with previously, which is partly the reason I was attracted to the role.”

Mr Bentley previously taught in Dewsbury, Menston and Featherstone.