Sweden vs United Kingdom: Proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education

Sweden
95.2%
in 2021
United Kingdom
96.9%
in 2021
Sweden rank
6th
United Kingdom rank
3rd

Proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education over time

  • Sweden
  • United Kingdom
020406080100200120112021

How they compare

United Kingdom currently reports 96.9% against 95.2% in Sweden, a difference of 1.7%.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 5 shared years of data; in 2001 it was Sweden ahead.

Sweden ranks 6th and United Kingdom ranks 3rd of 13 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, Sweden averaged higher in 2 and United Kingdom in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade Sweden United Kingdom Difference Ahead
2000s 98.3% 93.7% 4.6% Sweden
2010s 97.8% 95.9% 1.8% Sweden
2020s 95.2% 96.9% 1.7% United Kingdom

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education, Sweden or United Kingdom?
United Kingdom, at 96.9% against 95.2% in Sweden as of 2021.
What is the difference in proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education between Sweden and United Kingdom?
1.7%, with United Kingdom ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Sweden and United Kingdom?
5 years are reported by both, from 2001 to 2021.
How do Sweden and United Kingdom rank globally for proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education?
Sweden ranks 6th and United Kingdom ranks 3rd of 13 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education prepared for the future in reading, both sexes (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Sweden vs United Kingdom: Proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/proportion-of-children-young-people-at-the-age-of-primary-education-prepared-for-the-2/sweden/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education prepared for the future in reading, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
22 places, 245 data points, 2000–2021
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release