Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary was 36,358 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2000–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 36,358, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 35.5% on the previous year and down 66.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 190,266 in 2012 and was at its lowest, 5,188, in 2005.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 90th out of 181 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 20,598 | — |
| 2001 | 9,920 | -51.8% |
| 2002 | 8,329 | -16.0% |
| 2003 | 10,142 | +21.8% |
| 2004 | 26,325 | +159.6% |
| 2005 | 5,188 | -80.3% |
| 2006 | 68,483 | +1220.0% |
| 2007 | 173,874 | +153.9% |
| 2008 | 49,120 | -71.7% |
| 2009 | 31,557 | -35.8% |
| 2010 | 23,628 | -25.1% |
| 2011 | 85,217 | +260.7% |
| 2012 | 190,266 | +123.3% |
| 2013 | 107,766 | -43.4% |
| 2014 | 101,448 | -5.9% |
| 2015 | 100,291 | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 65,469 | -34.7% |
| 2018 | 55,427 | -15.3% |
| 2019 | 43,752 | -21.1% |
| 2020 | 27,999 | -36.0% |
| 2021 | 27,789 | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 26,827 | -3.5% |
| 2023 | 36,358 | +35.5% |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 36,358 is above the median for high income countries, which is 6,064, 6.0× the median. (69 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 36,358 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 8,273, 4.4× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | +1220.0% | 5,188 | 68,483 |
| 2011 | +260.7% | 23,628 | 85,217 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 40,354 | 5,188 | 173,874 | 10 |
| 2010s | 85,918 | 23,628 | 190,266 | 9 |
| 2020s | 29,743 | 26,827 | 36,358 | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
More education data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 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)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 36,358 in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 190,266 in 2012.
- What is the lowest out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 5,188 in 2005.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 90th out of 181 countries with data for 2023.
- Is out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 66.3%. 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, published as part of Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary school age, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release