A comprehensive school is a secondary school that accepts students of all abilities, as opposed to a grammar school. In Ireland comprehensive schools are associated with secular values and a broad education.

Comprehensive Schools in England

These schools were introduced as "non-selective" or 'comprehensive' schools by 1944 Education Act , at first gradually, but becoming Government policy in the 1960s. The aim was to improve education for all, particularly the children of working class parents.

See also: Grammar schools in the United Kingdom.

Comprehensive Schools in Ireland

These schools were introduced in to the Republic of Ireland in the 1966 by an intitiative by Patrick Hillery Minister for Education to give a broader range of education outside the vocational school system which was the state's then only system of schools. Until this time education in Ireland was largely dominated by religious orders and in particular the voluntary secondary school system was a particular realisation of this. The comprehensive school system is still relatively small and to an extent has been superseded by the community school concept.