Two girls’ private schools in Bedford have confirmed their plans for a merger.

All boarding facilities will be axed when Dame Alice Harpur School combines with Bedford High School for Girls. The new school will be located on the site now occupied by Dame Alice Harpur School.

Full details of the plan, which will involve a number of redundancies, are expected by the end of spring term 2010.

Pupils, parents and staff have voted to call the new school Bedford Girls’ School. A new headteacher will be selected by the end of this month.

The current head of Dame Alice Harpur, Jill Berry, is president of the Girls’ Schools Association.