School age population, secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: School age population, secondary education, both sexes was 5.25 million number in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
5.25 million number
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
26th
of 205 countries
All-time high
6.64 million number
in 1980
All-time low
4.81 million number
in 1994
Years of data
51
1970–2020
School age population, secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom is 5.25 million number, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.5% on the previous year and down 2.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom peaked at 6.64 million number in 1980 and was at its lowest, 4.81 million number, in 1994.
That places United Kingdom 26th out of 205 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, secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 5.36 million number | — |
| 1971 | 5.42 million number | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 5.56 million number | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 5.72 million number | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 5.89 million number | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 6.07 million number | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 6.25 million number | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 6.41 million number | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 6.54 million number | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 6.61 million number | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 6.64 million number | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 6.60 million number | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 6.50 million number | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 6.36 million number | -2.1% |
| 1984 | 6.20 million number | -2.6% |
| 1985 | 6.01 million number | -3.0% |
| 1986 | 5.81 million number | -3.4% |
| 1987 | 5.60 million number | -3.5% |
| 1988 | 5.41 million number | -3.4% |
| 1989 | 5.24 million number | -3.2% |
| 1990 | 5.08 million number | -3.0% |
| 1991 | 4.95 million number | -2.5% |
| 1992 | 4.87 million number | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 4.82 million number | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 4.81 million number | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 4.84 million number | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 4.90 million number | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 4.98 million number | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 5.07 million number | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 5.14 million number | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 5.22 million number | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 5.28 million number | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 5.37 million number | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 5.43 million number | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 5.46 million number | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 5.46 million number | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 5.45 million number | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 5.46 million number | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 5.45 million number | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 5.42 million number | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 5.38 million number | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 5.33 million number | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 5.30 million number | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 5.25 million number | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 5.19 million number | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 5.12 million number | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 5.06 million number | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 5.07 million number | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 5.11 million number | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 5.17 million number | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 5.25 million number | +1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.98 million number | 5.36 million number | 6.61 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.04 million number | 5.24 million number | 6.64 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.95 million number | 4.81 million number | 5.14 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.40 million number | 5.22 million number | 5.46 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.20 million number | 5.06 million number | 5.38 million number | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.25 million number | 5.25 million number | 5.25 million number | 1 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More education data for United Kingdom
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.37 million (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.0164 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita 0.0346 units per person (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.49 million (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate -0.0369 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), per capita 0.0364 units per person (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.40 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.49 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 281,128 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate -0.4388 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom?
- School age population, secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom was 5.25 million number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, secondary education, both sexes recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 6.64 million number in 1980.
- What is the lowest school age population, secondary education, both sexes recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.81 million number in 1994.
- How does United Kingdom rank for school age population, secondary education, both sexes?
- United Kingdom ranks 26th out of 205 countries with data for 2020.
- Is school age population, secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.5%. 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, 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 secondary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.