School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes was 806,348 number in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
806,348 number
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
31st
of 204 countries
All-time high
962,092 number
in 1975
All-time low
667,316 number
in 1989
Years of data
51
1970–2020
School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 806,348 number for school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in 2020.
That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and up 11.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 962,092 number in 1975 and was at its lowest, 667,316 number, in 1989.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 31st out of 204 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 832,237 number | — |
| 1971 | 865,344 number | +4.0% |
| 1972 | 897,750 number | +3.7% |
| 1973 | 928,287 number | +3.4% |
| 1974 | 952,716 number | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 962,092 number | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 954,495 number | -0.8% |
| 1977 | 947,957 number | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 938,311 number | -1.0% |
| 1979 | 922,422 number | -1.7% |
| 1980 | 897,820 number | -2.7% |
| 1981 | 864,922 number | -3.7% |
| 1982 | 832,284 number | -3.8% |
| 1983 | 798,884 number | -4.0% |
| 1984 | 766,389 number | -4.1% |
| 1985 | 738,327 number | -3.7% |
| 1986 | 716,146 number | -3.0% |
| 1987 | 696,507 number | -2.7% |
| 1988 | 678,843 number | -2.5% |
| 1989 | 667,316 number | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 668,522 number | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 683,044 number | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 696,392 number | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 711,225 number | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 726,757 number | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 738,983 number | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 746,748 number | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 754,469 number | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 763,911 number | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 772,451 number | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 776,805 number | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 775,981 number | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 774,178 number | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 770,434 number | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 764,195 number | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 755,047 number | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 743,661 number | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 736,835 number | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 731,381 number | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 726,393 number | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 720,527 number | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 713,574 number | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 707,920 number | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 700,976 number | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 697,463 number | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 706,342 number | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 729,134 number | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 752,893 number | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 774,445 number | +2.9% |
| 2019 | 793,510 number | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 806,348 number | +1.6% |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 806,348 number is above the median for high income countries, which is 51,791 number, 15.6× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 806,348 number is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 78,414 number, 10.3× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 920,161 number | 832,237 number | 962,092 number | 10 |
| 1980s | 765,744 number | 667,316 number | 897,820 number | 10 |
| 1990s | 726,250 number | 668,522 number | 772,451 number | 10 |
| 2000s | 755,491 number | 726,393 number | 776,805 number | 10 |
| 2010s | 729,678 number | 697,463 number | 793,510 number | 10 |
| 2020s | 806,348 number | 806,348 number | 806,348 number | 1 |
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 school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 806,348 number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 962,092 number in 1975.
- What is the lowest school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 667,316 number in 1989.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 31st out of 204 countries with data for 2020.
- Is school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to the last grade of primary school as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.