Persistence to grade 5, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Persistence to grade 5, total was 99.8% in 2021. ▬ Flat

Latest (2021)
99.8%
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
6th
of 164 countries
All-time high
99.8%
in 2017
All-time low
97.7%
in 2015
Years of data
7
2015–2021

Persistence to grade 5, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2015–2021

0204060801002015201820212015: 97.7 % of cohort2016: 99.8 % of cohort2017: 99.8 % of cohort2018: 99.8 % of cohort2019: 99.8 % of cohort2020: 99.4 % of cohort2021: 99.8 % of cohort

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of cohort.

Analysis

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 99.8% for persistence to grade 5, total in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 2.2% over ten years.

That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 6th out of 164 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.

Persistence to grade 5, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Persistence to grade 5, total (% of cohort) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2015 to 2021.
Year % of cohort Change
2015 97.7%
2016 99.8% +2.2%
2017 99.8% +0.1%
2018 99.8% -0.0%
2019 99.8% +0.0%
2020 99.4% -0.4%
2021 99.8% +0.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 99.4% 97.7% 99.8% 5
2020s 99.6% 99.4% 99.8% 2

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 3 Italy 99.9% compare
  2. 4 Egypt 99.8% compare
  3. 5 Greece 99.8% compare
  4. 7 China 99.8% compare
  5. 8 Denmark 99.7% compare
  6. 9 Norway 99.7% compare

See the full ranking of 176 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 persistence to grade 5, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Persistence to grade 5, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 99.8% in 2021, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest persistence to grade 5, total recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 99.8% in 2017.
What is the lowest persistence to grade 5, total recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 97.7% in 2015.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for persistence to grade 5, total?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 6th out of 164 countries with data for 2021.
Is persistence to grade 5, total rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Persistence to grade 5, total (% of cohort). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Persistence to grade 5, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/persistence-to-grade-5-total-percent-of-cohort/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Persistence to grade 5, total (% of cohort)
Unit
% of cohort
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
176 places, 3,790 data points, 1970–2023
Last refreshed

Persistence to grade 5 (percentage of cohort reaching grade 5) is the share of children enrolled in the first grade of primary school who eventually reach grade 5. The estimate is based on the reconstructed cohort method.