Comprehensive school (England and Wales)

A comprehensive school in England and Wales is a state-funded secondary school that does not select its intake based on academic achievement or aptitude. Comprehensive schools replaced the tripartite system of grammar schools, secondary modern schools, and technical schools, introduced after the Education Act 1944. The aim of the comprehensive system was to provide equal educational opportunities for all children, regardless of their social background or academic ability.

The transition to a comprehensive system was gradual, starting in the 1960s and continuing through the 1970s. Some local authorities adopted the comprehensive model more quickly than others, and some areas still retain elements of the selective system, particularly grammar schools.

Comprehensive schools typically admit students from a defined catchment area. The curriculum is designed to cater to a wide range of abilities and interests, with a focus on providing a broad and balanced education. While comprehensive schools do not select students based on academic ability, they may use banding or streaming within the school to group students for specific subjects or activities.

The performance of comprehensive schools is often measured by examination results, such as GCSEs and A-levels. There is ongoing debate about the relative merits of the comprehensive system compared to selective systems, with arguments focusing on issues such as social mobility, academic achievement, and parental choice. The landscape of secondary education in England and Wales is also influenced by academies and free schools, which operate outside of local authority control and can have different admissions policies.