Girls and boys who are out of school in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Girls and boys who are out of school was 6,273 girls in 2018. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2018)
6,273 girls
Change on year
down 62.9%
World rank
108th
of 180 countries
All-time high
44,503 girls
in 2007
All-time low
1,233 girls
in 2005
Years of data
15
2004–2018

Girls and boys who are out of school in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2004–2018

010.0k20.0k30.0k40.0k2004201120182004: 11.5k girls2005: 1.2k girls2006: 15.6k girls2007: 44.5k girls2008: 10.3k girls2009: 17.1k girls2010: 12.9k girls2011: 24.4k girls2012: 39.8k girls2013: 41.4k girls2014: 36.2k girls2015: 31.0k girls2016: 27.3k girls2017: 16.9k girls2018: 6.3k girls

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in girls.

Analysis

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 6,273 girls for girls and boys who are out of school in 2018.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 62.9% on the previous year and down 39.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, girls and boys who are out of school in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 44,503 girls in 2007 and was at its lowest, 1,233 girls, in 2005.

That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 108th out of 180 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Girls and boys who are out of school in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Girls and boys who are out of school in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2004 to 2018.
Year girls Change
2004 11,502 girls
2005 1,233 girls -89.3%
2006 15,645 girls +1168.9%
2007 44,503 girls +184.5%
2008 10,278 girls -76.9%
2009 17,091 girls +66.3%
2010 12,931 girls -24.3%
2011 24,448 girls +89.1%
2012 39,840 girls +63.0%
2013 41,365 girls +3.8%
2014 36,187 girls -12.5%
2015 31,034 girls -14.2%
2016 27,267 girls -12.1%
2017 16,887 girls -38.1%
2018 6,273 girls -62.9%

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland compared with similar countries

  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 6,273 girls is above the median for high income countries, which is 2,552 girls, 2.5× the median. (62 countries reporting)
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 6,273 girls is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3,626 girls, 1.7× the median. (45 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Girls and boys who are out of school in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 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.

YearChange FromTo
2006 +1168.9% 1,233 girls 15,645 girls

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 16,709 girls 1,233 girls 44,503 girls 6
2010s 26,248 girls 6,273 girls 41,365 girls 9

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 105 Serbia 7,724 girls compare
  2. 106 Bulgaria 6,943 girls compare
  3. 107 Belgium 6,554 girls compare
  4. 109 Suriname 5,441 girls compare
  5. 110 Hong Kong, China 5,014 girls
  6. 111 Hungary 4,886 girls compare

See the full ranking of 180 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 girls and boys who are out of school in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Girls and boys who are out of school in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 6,273 girls in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest girls and boys who are out of school recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 44,503 girls in 2007.
What is the lowest girls and boys who are out of school recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 1,233 girls in 2005.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for girls and boys who are out of school?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 108th out of 180 countries with data for 2018.
Is girls and boys who are out of school rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 39.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Girls and boys who are out of school. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Girls and boys who are out of school in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/girls-and-boys-who-are-out-of-primary-secondary-school/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Girls and boys who are out of school
Unit
girls
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
180 places, 3,583 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Girls in the official primary school age range who are not enrolled in either primary or secondary education.