Two single-sex Catholic schools are to close to create a new mixed-sex school.

Bradford Council’s executive yesterday gave the go-ahead for the merger of St Joseph’s Catholic girls’ school in Manningham and St Bede’s Catholic boys’ school in Heaton.

The new St Bede’s and St Joseph’s Catholic High will have almost 2,000 pupils, making it one of the country’s largest Catholic schools. It will open in September 2014.

The two school buildings are to remain, with St Joseph’s home to years seven to nine and St Bede’s being where older pupils will be taught.

The meeting heard there had been a significant drop in the number of practising Catholics at the schools and that single-sex education, especially for boys, was becoming less popular with parents.

Councillor Ralph Berry, executive member for children’s services, said: “For many people this will be the passing of an era.

“If you look at the Bradfordians who attended St Joseph’s or St Bede’s, it adds up to a significant number of people.

“At one point you would be forgiven for thinking the old boys of St Bede’s were running the city.”

Coun Berry said the council had worked closely with the Roman Catholic Diocese.