A Catholic secondary school in Bradford could be forced to close because of surplus places in the district.

Bradford currently has three Catholic secondaries, including two single-sex schools: St Bede's Grammar for boys in Heaton, St Joseph's College for girls in Manningham and Yorkshire Martyrs' College in Westgate Hill Street.

But education bosses say they can only operate two because of falling numbers of Catholic pupils.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds, which owns the schools, is now drawing up plans to deal with the surplus places.

Trina Hagerty, the diocese's episcopal delegate for education, said: "It could mean closure, amalgamation or federation." However she told the Telegraph & Argus no plans had been developed.

Any proposal to reorganise or close a school will not happen before 2009.

By 2010 the diocese predicts there will only be 300 Catholic pupils in Bradford approaching secondary school age.

Last year the diocese launched a massive survey of parents at Catholic primary schools in the district to get their views on the future of education.

It was carried out by Glendale Research which has now published its findings.

The survey reveals most parents wanted their children educated in a Catholic secondary school.

But more parents were in favour of co-education than single sex education.

The survey's findings were presented last week to a meeting of head teachers and chairmen of governing bodies from all the Catholic schools in Bradford and representatives from Bradford Council and Education Bradford, the private firm which runs the district's education services.

The diocese is now holding two months of talks with governors of Yorkshire Martyrs, St Joseph's and St Bede's along with Bradford Council and Education Bradford.

In April the diocese aims to put forward a proposal on the reorganisation of Catholic secondary education which will then be followed by six weeks of public consultation.

Recommendations from the public could result in proposals being amended or changed.

The diocese aims to publish statutory notices on plans for any reorganisation by July 17. That will be followed by another six-week consultation spell.

There were 1,438 responses to the questionnaire - 75 per cent of parents at Catholic primary schools.

Of those who responded, 81 per cent said they did want their children taught at a Catholic secondary school.

There was 59 per cent of parents in favour of co-education compared with 29 per cent for single-sex education.

Jim Coffey, deputy head teacher at St Bede's, said: "We are looking to the future and this may necessitate some form of reorganisation but this is simply the beginning of the process."

Nobody from Yorkshire Martyrs College or St Joseph's College was available for comment.