Enrolment in lower secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Enrolment in lower secondary education, both sexes was 2.83 million in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
2.83 million
Change on year
up 2.3%
World rank
25th
of 200 countries
All-time high
2.83 million
in 2023
All-time low
2.14 million
in 1996
Years of data
30
1993–2023

Enrolment in lower secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1993–2023

01.0M2.0M3.0M1993200820231993: 2.2M1994: 2.2M1995: 2.2M1996: 2.1M1997: 2.2M1998: 2.2M1999: 2.3M2000: 2.3M2001: 2.3M2002: 2.3M2003: 2.3M2004: 2.3M2005: 2.3M2006: 2.3M2007: 2.2M2008: 2.3M2009: 2.4M2010: 2.5M2011: 2.4M2012: 2.2M2013: 2.4M2014: 2.4M2015: 2.3M2017: 2.6M2018: 2.6M2019: 2.7M2020: 2.7M2021: 2.7M2022: 2.8M2023: 2.8M

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for enrolment in lower secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 2.83 million, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 30 years on record.

That represents a change of up 2.3% on the previous year and up 19.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in lower secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 2.83 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2.14 million, in 1996.

That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 25th out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.

Enrolment in lower secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in lower secondary education, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1993 to 2023.
Year Value Change
1993 2.16 million
1994 2.17 million +0.6%
1995 2.16 million -0.2%
1996 2.14 million -1.1%
1997 2.17 million +1.5%
1998 2.21 million +1.6%
1999 2.25 million +2.0%
2000 2.29 million +1.8%
2001 2.32 million +1.2%
2002 2.34 million +0.8%
2003 2.35 million +0.4%
2004 2.32 million -1.1%
2005 2.35 million +1.1%
2006 2.29 million -2.6%
2007 2.22 million -2.7%
2008 2.32 million +4.3%
2009 2.41 million +4.0%
2010 2.46 million +1.9%
2011 2.37 million -3.5%
2012 2.25 million -5.3%
2013 2.38 million +6.0%
2014 2.36 million -0.8%
2015 2.33 million -1.2%
2017 2.63 million +12.5%
2018 2.62 million -0.3%
2019 2.67 million +1.8%
2020 2.69 million +0.8%
2021 2.70 million +0.5%
2022 2.77 million +2.4%
2023 2.83 million +2.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 2.18 million 2.14 million 2.25 million 7
2000s 2.32 million 2.22 million 2.41 million 10
2010s 2.45 million 2.25 million 2.67 million 9
2020s 2.75 million 2.69 million 2.83 million 4

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 22 Japan 3.28 million compare
  2. 23 Uzbekistan 3.13 million compare
  3. 24 Myanmar 3.06 million compare
  4. 26 Kenya 2.73 million compare
  5. 27 Tanzania, United Republic of 2.52 million compare
  6. 28 Côte d'Ivoire 2.41 million compare

See the full ranking of 421 places →

More education data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in lower secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Enrolment in lower secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 2.83 million in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest enrolment in lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 2.83 million in 2023.
What is the lowest enrolment in lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 2.14 million in 1996.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for enrolment in lower secondary education, both sexes?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 25th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
Is enrolment in lower secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 19.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in lower secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Enrolment in lower secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-lower-secondary-education-both-sexes-number-2/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in lower secondary education, both sexes (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
421 places, 11,113 data points, 1980–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release