Proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education was 96.9% in 2021. ▬ Flat
Latest (2021)
96.9%
World rank
3rd
of 13 countries
All-time high
96.9%
in 2021
All-time low
93.0%
in 2006
Years of data
5
2001–2021
Proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2001–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 96.9%, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 96.9% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 93.0%, in 2006.
Proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 94.3% | — |
| 2006 | 93.0% | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 95.2% | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 96.7% | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 96.9% | +0.2% |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 96.9% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 95.7%, 1.0× the median. (10 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 96.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 94.8%, 1.0× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 93.7% | 93.0% | 94.3% | 2 |
| 2010s | 95.9% | 95.2% | 96.7% | 2 |
| 2020s | 96.9% | 96.9% | 96.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 1 Russian Federation 98.0% compare
- 2 Italy 97.1% compare
- 4 Lithuania 96.8% compare
- 5 Netherlands 96.2% compare
- 6 Sweden 95.2% compare
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 proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 96.9% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 96.9% in 2021.
- What is the lowest proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 93.0% in 2006.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 3rd out of 13 countries with data for 2021.
- Is proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. 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 UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Proportion of children/young people at the age of primary education prepared for the future in reading, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 5 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release