One of the Bradford's most successful headteachers is leaving his job at the top Roman Catholic senior school in the district.

Frank McCarron will leave St Joseph's College in Manningham at the end of the school year after more than four years in charge.

Tributes have been paid to the affable Scotsman who steered the college for girls through a period of reorganisation when the Catholic schools opted to move from a three-tier system to two-tiers in 1995 - a move that will now be followed by the rest of Bradford.

Alan Hall, the upper school heads' convenor in Bradford, said: "We shall miss Frank's incisiveness and his strong sense of humour, his Scottish nous and his common sense. It is sad to see him go."

Mr McCarron earned renown when he disciplined one of his pupils by taking his mobile phone into a girl's lesson, calling her mother and putting the embarrassed miscreant on the line to explain her indiscretion.

The 42-year-old head has been popular with his students as well as his colleagues and the friendly spirit of the college, the confidence of his pupils and the high standards of the school are a testament to that. Last year, St Joseph's topped the Bradford poll for making the greatest progress with its pupils and that was reflected in its GCSE pass rate at Grades A*-C of 48 per cent.

Peter May, the chairman of governors at the college, said: "Frank has proved to be a highly effective head, a man of great drive, energy and vision. He also has excellent co-ordination and man management skills.

"His departure will be a significant loss to St Joseph's."

Mr McCarron leaves to take up the headship of a 1,200-place co-ed Catholic school in Bury, close to where he has lived for the past four years.

Although, he planned to move to the Bradford area, his wife, Claire, found work in Stockport.

Nor did he wish to disrupt the education of his 14-year-old daughter, Amy, who is about to start her GCSEs.

"I shall miss the friendliness and support of the pupils, the staff, parents and governors.

"I must admit to having a tear in my eye when I told the girls. It is very sad to go," he said.

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