School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes (number) was 2.33 million number in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
2.33 million number
Change on year
up 2.6%
World rank
35th
of 205 countries
All-time high
2.87 million number
in 1977
All-time low
2.01 million number
in 1991
Years of data
51
1970–2020
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 2.33 million number for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in 2020.
The figure is up 2.6% on the previous year and up 4.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom peaked at 2.87 million number in 1977 and was at its lowest, 2.01 million number, in 1991.
United Kingdom ranks 35th of 205 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.36 million number | — |
| 1971 | 2.42 million number | +2.3% |
| 1972 | 2.50 million number | +3.5% |
| 1973 | 2.60 million number | +3.9% |
| 1974 | 2.69 million number | +3.8% |
| 1975 | 2.78 million number | +3.3% |
| 1976 | 2.85 million number | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 2.87 million number | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 2.87 million number | -0.2% |
| 1979 | 2.85 million number | -0.8% |
| 1980 | 2.81 million number | -1.2% |
| 1981 | 2.76 million number | -1.8% |
| 1982 | 2.68 million number | -2.8% |
| 1983 | 2.59 million number | -3.4% |
| 1984 | 2.49 million number | -3.8% |
| 1985 | 2.39 million number | -4.0% |
| 1986 | 2.30 million number | -3.9% |
| 1987 | 2.22 million number | -3.4% |
| 1988 | 2.15 million number | -2.9% |
| 1989 | 2.10 million number | -2.7% |
| 1990 | 2.05 million number | -2.4% |
| 1991 | 2.01 million number | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 2.02 million number | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 2.05 million number | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 2.09 million number | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 2.14 million number | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 2.18 million number | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 2.21 million number | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 2.24 million number | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 2.27 million number | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 2.30 million number | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 2.32 million number | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 2.34 million number | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 2.34 million number | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 2.33 million number | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 2.32 million number | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 2.30 million number | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 2.28 million number | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 2.27 million number | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 2.25 million number | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 2.23 million number | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 2.21 million number | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 2.19 million number | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 2.17 million number | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 2.14 million number | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 2.11 million number | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 2.10 million number | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 2.15 million number | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 2.21 million number | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 2.28 million number | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 2.33 million number | +2.6% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 2.33 million number is above the median for high income countries, which is 161,779 number, 14.4× the median. (75 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 2.33 million number is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 277,165 number, 8.4× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.68 million number | 2.36 million number | 2.87 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.45 million number | 2.10 million number | 2.81 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.13 million number | 2.01 million number | 2.27 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.30 million number | 2.25 million number | 2.34 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.18 million number | 2.10 million number | 2.28 million number | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.33 million number | 2.33 million number | 2.33 million number | 1 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More education data for United Kingdom
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 99.73 (2018)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 99.93 (2023)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom?
- School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom was 2.33 million number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 2.87 million number in 1977.
- What is the lowest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.01 million number in 1991.
- How does United Kingdom rank for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes?
- United Kingdom ranks 35th out of 205 countries with data for 2020.
- Is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to lower secondary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.