School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes 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

01.0M2.0M3.0M197019952020

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 in United Kingdom, year by year

Annual values for School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom, 1970 to 2020.
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%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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

  1. 32 Cameroon 2.48 million number compare
  2. 33 Cote d'Ivoire 2.44 million number compare
  3. 34 Iran 2.39 million number compare
  4. 36 Mozambique 2.31 million number compare
  5. 37 Niger 2.25 million number compare
  6. 38 Argentina 2.15 million number compare

See the full ranking of 250 places →

More education data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

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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School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/school-age-population-lower-secondary-education-both-sexes-number/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
250 places, 12,264 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to lower secondary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.