Share of children who have completed primary school in France
France: Share of children who have completed primary school was 99.6% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Share of children who have completed primary school in France, 1981–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of children who have completed primary school in France is 99.6%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children who have completed primary school in France peaked at 99.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 99.0%, in 1981.
That places France 36th out of 165 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
Share of children who have completed primary school in France, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 99.0% | — |
| 1982 | 99.0% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 99.0% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 99.0% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 99.0% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 99.1% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 99.1% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 99.1% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 99.1% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 99.1% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 99.2% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 99.2% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 99.2% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 99.2% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 99.2% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 99.2% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 99.2% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 99.2% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 99.3% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 99.3% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 99.3% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 99.3% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 99.3% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 99.3% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 99.3% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 99.4% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 99.4% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 99.4% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 99.4% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 99.4% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 99.4% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 99.4% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 99.4% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 99.4% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 99.5% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 99.5% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 99.5% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 99.5% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 99.5% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 99.5% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 99.5% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 99.5% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 99.6% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 99.6% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 99.6% | +0.0% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 99.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 99.6%, 100% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- France's 99.6% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 99.6%, 100% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 99.0% | 99.0% | 99.1% | 9 |
| 1990s | 99.2% | 99.1% | 99.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 99.3% | 99.3% | 99.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 99.5% | 99.4% | 99.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 99.6% | 99.5% | 99.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near France
- 34 Palestine 99.6% compare
- 35 Latvia 99.6% compare
- 36 Saint Lucia 99.6% compare
- 38 Ukraine 99.6% compare
- 39 North Macedonia 99.5% compare
More education data for France
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 457,956 (2019)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 43,533 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.19 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.14 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.27 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.13 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0602 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children who have completed primary school in France?
- Share of children who have completed primary school in France was 99.6% in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children who have completed primary school recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 99.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of children who have completed primary school recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 99.0% in 1981.
- How does France rank for share of children who have completed primary school?
- France ranks 36th out of 165 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of children who have completed primary school rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children who have completed primary school. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of children who are three to five years older than the official age for the last grade of primary education who have successfully completed it. This broader age band is used to include children who started school late or had to resit particular years.