Share of children in primary school age who are in school in France
France: Share of children in primary school age who are in school was 99.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in France, 1820–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of children in primary school age who are in school in France is 99.8%, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children in primary school age who are in school in France peaked at 100.0% in 1870 and was at its lowest, 16.6%, in 1820.
That places France 17th out of 209 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 57 years of available data.
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in France, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 16.6% | — |
| 1825 | 17.6% | +5.9% |
| 1830 | 18.6% | +5.9% |
| 1835 | 19.7% | +5.8% |
| 1840 | 20.8% | +5.7% |
| 1845 | 22.0% | +5.7% |
| 1850 | 23.2% | +5.5% |
| 1855 | 24.5% | +5.4% |
| 1860 | 25.8% | +5.6% |
| 1865 | 29.9% | +15.7% |
| 1870 | 100.0% | +234.4% |
| 1875 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 97.0% | -3.0% |
| 1965 | 98.0% | +1.0% |
| 1970 | 98.0% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 98.0% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 100.0% | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 96.4% | -3.6% |
| 2002 | 96.3% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 96.1% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 96.1% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 99.9% | +4.0% |
| 2006 | 100.0% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 99.9% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 99.5% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 99.1% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 98.7% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 99.8% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 99.6% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 99.4% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 98.6% | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 99.5% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 99.8% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 99.9% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 99.9% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 100.0% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 99.9% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 99.9% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 99.8% | -0.1% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 99.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 98.2%, 1.0× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- France's 99.8% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 98.6%, 1.0× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of children in primary school age who are in school in France 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | +234.4% | 29.9% | 100.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 17.1% | 16.6% | 17.6% | 2 |
| 1830s | 19.2% | 18.6% | 19.7% | 2 |
| 1840s | 21.4% | 20.8% | 22.0% | 2 |
| 1850s | 23.9% | 23.2% | 24.5% | 2 |
| 1860s | 27.9% | 25.8% | 29.9% | 2 |
| 1870s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1880s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1890s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1900s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1910s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1920s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1930s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1940s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1950s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 97.5% | 97.0% | 98.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 98.0% | 98.0% | 98.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 98.1% | 96.1% | 100.0% | 9 |
| 2010s | 99.5% | 98.6% | 100.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 99.9% | 99.8% | 100.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near France
- 14 Turks and Caicos Islands 99.9% compare
- 15 Switzerland 99.9% compare
- 16 Peru 99.8% compare
- 18 Singapore 99.8% compare
- 19 Montenegro 99.8% compare
- 20 Luxembourg 99.7% compare
More education data for France
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 457,956 (2019)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 43,533 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.19 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.14 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.27 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.13 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0602 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children in primary school age who are in school in France?
- Share of children in primary school age who are in school in France was 99.8% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 100.0% in 1870.
- What is the lowest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.6% in 1820.
- How does France rank for share of children in primary school age who are in school?
- France ranks 17th out of 209 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children in primary school age who are in school rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children in primary school age who are in school. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of children of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.