St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College explained

St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College
Motto:Christus Lumen Gentium
(Latin: Christ the Light of Nations)
Type:Academy
Trust:Blessed Christopher Wharton Catholic Academy Trust
Religious Affiliation:Roman Catholic
Head Label:Headteacher
Head:Lawrence Bentley
Address:Ignis: Cunliffe Road
Manningham
City of Bradford
West Yorkshire
BD8 7AP
Location:Ardor: Highgate
Heaton
City of Bradford
West Yorkshire
BD9 4BQ
Country:England
Coordinates:53.8122°N -1.7657°W
Local Authority:Bradford City Council
Urn:148520
Ofsted:yes
Enrolment:1,861
Gender:Coeducational
Lower Age:11
Upper Age:19
Colours:
Gold, blue, green and grey

St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College is a coeducational Roman Catholic secondary school and sixth form. It is located over two sites in the City of Bradford in the English county of West Yorkshire.[1] The school was formed in September 2014 as a result of a merger between St Bede's Grammar School and St Joseph's Catholic College. It is currently the largest Catholic school in the UK.[2]

Description

The school is based over both of the former school sites with the new mixed gender Year 7 being based at the former St Joseph's site. Students who were attending either of the old schools prior to the merger remained in single sex education at the site they previously attended. The school is coeducational as of September 2018.

As of September 2018, the lower school (Years 7-9) is based at the old St Joseph's site and the upper school (Years 10-13) is based at the old St Bede's site.

The school has a coeducational sixth form, St Benedict's Sixth Form. All sixth form students are currently based at the old St Bede's site.

The old St Joseph's site has been renamed Ignis (Latin: spark) and the old St Bede's site has been renamed Ardor (Latin: flame).

At the start of September 2018, a house system was introduced, with 5 houses. The houses (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Paul) are each named after the 4 apostles who wrote the gospels, along with St Paul. With the house system are house days held at the end of each term. The house with the most house points wins the house cup. As of April 2019, Matthew and Paul and John have won the house cup (Matthew at House Day 1 [3] and Paul at House Day 2 and St John won on transition day).

Previously a voluntary aided school administered by Bradford City Council,[4] in September 2023 St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College converted to academy status.[5] The school is now sponsored by the Blessed Christopher Wharton Catholic Academy Trust,[6] but continues to be under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds. The school is named after Saint Bede and Saint Joseph.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College. St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College.
  2. Web site: Largest Catholic school in country now planned as St Bede's and St Joseph's may merge in Bradford. Bradford Telegraph and Argus. en. 2019-05-07.
  3. Web site: St Bede's and College Newsletter, Issue 9. St Joseph's Catholic College.
  4. Web site: St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College - GOV.UK . Get-information-schools.service.gov.uk . 2022-12-27.
  5. https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Establishments/Establishment/Details/148520
  6. https://bcwcat.co.uk/