Parochial school

A parochial school is a private primary or secondary school affiliated with a religious organization ,and whose curriculum includes general religious education in addition to secular subjects, such as science, mathematics and language arts. The word "parochial" comes from the same root as "parish", and parochial schools were originally the educational wing of the local parish church. Christian parochial schools are often called "church schools". In Ontario, parochial schools are called "separate schools."

In addition to schools run by Christian organizations, there are also Jewish (Hebrew), Muslim and other schools. These, however, are not usually called "parochial" because of the term's historical association with Christian parishes.

United Kingdom

In British education, parish schools from the established church of the relevant constituent country formed the basis of the state-funded education system, and many schools retain a church connection while essentially providing secular education in accordance with standards set by the government of the country concerned. These are often primary schools, and may be designated as name C.E. School or name C.E. (Aided) School, depending on whether they are wholly or partly funded by the church (the latter is more common).