Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number) (pre-primary) in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number) (pre-primary) was 790,556 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Enrolment in pre-primary education, female in United Kingdom, 1976–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for enrolment in pre-primary education, female in United Kingdom is 790,556, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 0.9% on the previous year and up 31.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in pre-primary education, female in United Kingdom peaked at 893,596 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 278,910, in 1976.
That places United Kingdom 23rd out of 208 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.
Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number) (pre-primary) in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 278,910 | — |
| 1983 | 293,000 | +5.1% |
| 1984 | 316,000 | +7.8% |
| 1985 | 311,000 | -1.6% |
| 1986 | 315,000 | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 330,000 | +4.8% |
| 1988 | 340,000 | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 350,000 | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 374,000 | +6.9% |
| 1991 | 388,100 | +3.8% |
| 1992 | 396,500 | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 561,743 | +41.7% |
| 1999 | 563,568 | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 577,464 | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 578,365 | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 576,697 | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 530,248 | -8.1% |
| 2004 | 401,960 | -24.2% |
| 2005 | 483,616 | +20.3% |
| 2006 | 490,049 | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 497,600 | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 546,074 | +9.7% |
| 2009 | 551,160 | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 585,283 | +6.2% |
| 2011 | 610,956 | +4.4% |
| 2012 | 628,380 | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 599,923 | -4.5% |
| 2014 | 698,114 | +16.4% |
| 2015 | 797,788 | +14.3% |
| 2016 | 893,596 | +12.0% |
| 2017 | 860,028 | -3.8% |
| 2018 | 860,911 | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 843,221 | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 843,142 | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 800,658 | -5.0% |
| 2022 | 798,010 | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 790,556 | -0.9% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 790,556 is above the median for high income countries, which is 48,014, 16.5× the median. (76 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 790,556 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 88,070, 9.0× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number) (pre-primary) in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | +41.7% | 396,500 | 561,743 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 278,910 | 278,910 | 278,910 | 1 |
| 1980s | 322,143 | 293,000 | 350,000 | 7 |
| 1990s | 456,782 | 374,000 | 563,568 | 5 |
| 2000s | 523,323 | 401,960 | 578,365 | 10 |
| 2010s | 737,820 | 585,283 | 893,596 | 10 |
| 2020s | 808,092 | 790,556 | 843,142 | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More education data for United Kingdom
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 388,714 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2012)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 830,495 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 790,556 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.40 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.86 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.0111 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.071 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in pre-primary education, female in United Kingdom?
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female in United Kingdom was 790,556 in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in pre-primary education, female recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 893,596 in 2016.
- What is the lowest enrolment in pre-primary education, female recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 278,910 in 1976.
- How does United Kingdom rank for enrolment in pre-primary education, female?
- United Kingdom ranks 23rd out of 208 countries with data for 2023.
- Is enrolment in pre-primary education, female rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release