Sweden vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Proportion of students at the end of primary education achieving at

Sweden
95.3%
in 2021
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
97.0%
in 2021
Sweden rank
8th
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank
5th

Proportion of students at the end of primary education achieving at over time

  • Sweden
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
020406080100200120112021

How they compare

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland currently reports 97.0% against 95.3% 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 8th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 5th of 19 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, Sweden averaged higher in 2 and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade Sweden United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Difference Ahead
2000s 98.3% 93.9% 4.5% Sweden
2010s 97.8% 96.1% 1.7% Sweden
2020s 95.3% 97.0% 1.8% United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher proportion of students at the end of primary education achieving at, Sweden or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, at 97.0% against 95.3% in Sweden as of 2021.
What is the difference in proportion of students at the end of primary education achieving at between Sweden and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
1.7%, with United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Sweden and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
5 years are reported by both, from 2001 to 2021.
How do Sweden and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank globally for proportion of students at the end of primary education achieving at?
Sweden ranks 8th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 5th of 19 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Proportion of students at the end of primary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level 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 of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Proportion of students at the end of primary education achieving at. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/proportion-of-students-at-the-end-of-primary-education-achieving-at-least-a-minimum-30/sweden/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of students at the end of primary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
28 places, 275 data points, 2000–2021
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release