Primary education, teachers in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Primary education, teachers was 86.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
86.4%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
54th
of 200 countries
All-time high
87.0%
in 2013
All-time low
77.3%
in 1971
Years of data
43
1971–2023

Primary education, teachers in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1971–2023

0204060801971199720231971: 77.3 % female1972: 77.6 % female1973: 78.1 % female1974: 78.5 % female1975: 78.6 % female1976: 80.7 % female1977: 78.2 % female1978: 78.1 % female1979: 78.2 % female1980: 78.4 % female1982: 78.1 % female1983: 78.4 % female1984: 78.6 % female1985: 79.1 % female1987: 78.4 % female1988: 78.1 % female1989: 77.8 % female1990: 78.1 % female1991: 78 % female1992: 78.2 % female1999: 81 % female2000: 81.1 % female2001: 81.8 % female2002: 81.8 % female2003: 81.4 % female2004: 81.5 % female2005: 81.6 % female2006: 81.3 % female2007: 81.3 % female2008: 81.4 % female2009: 80.8 % female2010: 87 % female2011: 87 % female2012: 87 % female2013: 87 % female2016: 84.7 % female2017: 85.2 % female2018: 86.2 % female2019: 86.1 % female2020: 86.3 % female2021: 86.3 % female2022: 86.3 % female2023: 86.4 % female

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

Analysis

In 2023, primary education, teachers in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 86.4%.

The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, primary education, teachers in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 87.0% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 77.3%, in 1971.

That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 54th out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.

Primary education, teachers in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Primary education, teachers (% female) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1971 to 2023.
Year % female Change
1971 77.3%
1972 77.6% +0.4%
1973 78.1% +0.7%
1974 78.5% +0.4%
1975 78.6% +0.2%
1976 80.7% +2.7%
1977 78.2% -3.1%
1978 78.1% -0.1%
1979 78.2% +0.1%
1980 78.4% +0.3%
1982 78.1% -0.4%
1983 78.4% +0.4%
1984 78.6% +0.3%
1985 79.1% +0.6%
1987 78.4% -0.9%
1988 78.1% -0.3%
1989 77.8% -0.5%
1990 78.1% +0.4%
1991 78.0% -0.0%
1992 78.2% +0.2%
1999 81.0% +3.6%
2000 81.1% +0.1%
2001 81.8% +0.9%
2002 81.8% -0.1%
2003 81.4% -0.5%
2004 81.5% +0.1%
2005 81.6% +0.2%
2006 81.3% -0.3%
2007 81.3% -0.1%
2008 81.4% +0.2%
2009 80.8% -0.8%
2010 87.0% +7.7%
2011 87.0% +0.0%
2012 87.0% -0.0%
2013 87.0% +0.0%
2016 84.7% -2.7%
2017 85.2% +0.7%
2018 86.2% +1.2%
2019 86.1% -0.1%
2020 86.3% +0.2%
2021 86.3% -0.0%
2022 86.3% +0.0%
2023 86.4% +0.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 78.4% 77.3% 80.7% 9
1980s 78.4% 77.8% 79.1% 8
1990s 78.8% 78.0% 81.0% 4
2000s 81.4% 80.8% 81.8% 10
2010s 86.3% 84.7% 87.0% 8
2020s 86.3% 86.3% 86.4% 4

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 51 Puerto Rico 87.1% compare
  2. 52 Netherlands 87.0% compare
  3. 53 Bosnia and Herzegovina 86.6% compare
  4. 55 Saint Lucia 86.2% compare
  5. 56 Israel 86.2% compare
  6. 57 North Macedonia 86.0% compare

See the full ranking of 245 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 primary education, teachers in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Primary education, teachers in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 86.4% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest primary education, teachers recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 87.0% in 2013.
What is the lowest primary education, teachers recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 77.3% in 1971.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for primary education, teachers?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 54th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
Is primary education, teachers rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. 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 Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Primary education, teachers (% female). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Primary education, teachers in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/primary-education-teachers-percent-female/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Primary education, teachers (% female)
Unit
% female
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
245 places, 8,480 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Female teachers as a percentage of total primary education teachers includes full-time and part-time teachers.