School age population, primary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: School age population, primary education, both sexes was 4.92 million number in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
4.92 million number
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
27th
of 206 countries
All-time high
5.74 million number
in 1973
All-time low
4.05 million number
in 1987
Years of data
51
1970–2020
School age population, primary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2020, school age population, primary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 4.92 million number.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 16.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 5.74 million number in 1973 and was at its lowest, 4.05 million number, in 1987.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 27th out of 206 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, primary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 5.44 million number | — |
| 1971 | 5.58 million number | +2.5% |
| 1972 | 5.69 million number | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 5.74 million number | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 5.72 million number | -0.3% |
| 1975 | 5.65 million number | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 5.54 million number | -1.9% |
| 1977 | 5.43 million number | -2.0% |
| 1978 | 5.29 million number | -2.6% |
| 1979 | 5.12 million number | -3.3% |
| 1980 | 4.92 million number | -3.8% |
| 1981 | 4.72 million number | -4.0% |
| 1982 | 4.55 million number | -3.7% |
| 1983 | 4.39 million number | -3.4% |
| 1984 | 4.26 million number | -3.0% |
| 1985 | 4.16 million number | -2.4% |
| 1986 | 4.09 million number | -1.7% |
| 1987 | 4.05 million number | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 4.06 million number | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 4.11 million number | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 4.20 million number | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 4.30 million number | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 4.38 million number | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 4.45 million number | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 4.50 million number | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 4.54 million number | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 4.58 million number | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 4.61 million number | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 4.63 million number | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 4.63 million number | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 4.62 million number | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 4.59 million number | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 4.54 million number | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 4.49 million number | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 4.42 million number | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 4.36 million number | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 4.30 million number | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 4.27 million number | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 4.25 million number | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 4.24 million number | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 4.23 million number | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 4.23 million number | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 4.26 million number | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 4.32 million number | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 4.41 million number | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 4.53 million number | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 4.66 million number | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 4.77 million number | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 4.84 million number | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 4.90 million number | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 4.92 million number | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.52 million number | 5.12 million number | 5.74 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.33 million number | 4.05 million number | 4.92 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.48 million number | 4.20 million number | 4.63 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.41 million number | 4.24 million number | 4.62 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.51 million number | 4.23 million number | 4.90 million number | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.92 million number | 4.92 million number | 4.92 million 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
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 3.24 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.79 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.62 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -0.929 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 3.20 million (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 2.2 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 242,999 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 38,128 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.81 million (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.98 % change on previous year (2023)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 4.92 million number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 5.74 million number in 1973.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.05 million number in 1987.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 27th out of 206 countries with data for 2020.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.3%. 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, 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 primary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.