Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled was 6.40 million in 2023. ▲ Rising
Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled in United Kingdom, 1971–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 6.40 million for secondary education, pupils, gaps filled in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.5% on the previous year and down 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, secondary education, pupils, gaps filled in United Kingdom peaked at 6.56 million in 2014 and was at its lowest, 4.15 million, in 1971.
That places United Kingdom 20th out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 53 years of available data.
Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 4.15 million | — |
| 1972 | 4.28 million | +3.1% |
| 1973 | 4.42 million | +3.4% |
| 1974 | 4.83 million | +9.1% |
| 1975 | 4.99 million | +3.3% |
| 1976 | 5.15 million | +3.3% |
| 1977 | 5.29 million | +2.5% |
| 1978 | 5.34 million | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 5.38 million | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 5.36 million | -0.4% |
| 1981 | 5.34 million | -0.3% |
| 1982 | 5.33 million | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 5.30 million | -0.6% |
| 1984 | 5.17 million | -2.3% |
| 1985 | 5.02 million | -2.9% |
| 1986 | 4.88 million | -2.9% |
| 1987 | 4.69 million | -3.9% |
| 1988 | 4.51 million | -3.8% |
| 1989 | 4.37 million | -3.2% |
| 1990 | 4.28 million | -1.9% |
| 1991 | 4.34 million | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 4.43 million | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 4.87 million | +9.8% |
| 1994 | 4.94 million | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 4.99 million | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 5.00 million | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 4.98 million | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 5.01 million | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 5.20 million | +3.8% |
| 2000 | 5.31 million | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 5.38 million | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 5.52 million | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 5.54 million | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 5.71 million | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 5.76 million | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 5.36 million | -7.0% |
| 2007 | 5.31 million | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 5.36 million | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 5.43 million | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 5.54 million | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 5.00 million | -9.7% |
| 2012 | 4.85 million | -3.0% |
| 2013 | 6.50 million | +34.0% |
| 2014 | 6.56 million | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 6.37 million | -2.8% |
| 2016 | 6.38 million | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 6.39 million | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 6.17 million | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 6.14 million | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 6.13 million | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 6.20 million | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 6.30 million | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 6.40 million | +1.5% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 6.40 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 307,015, 20.8× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 6.40 million is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 543,350, 11.8× the median. (53 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | +34.0% | 4.85 million | 6.50 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.87 million | 4.15 million | 5.38 million | 9 |
| 1980s | 5.00 million | 4.37 million | 5.36 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.80 million | 4.28 million | 5.20 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.47 million | 5.31 million | 5.76 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.99 million | 4.85 million | 6.56 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.26 million | 6.13 million | 6.40 million | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More education data for United Kingdom
- 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)
- 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)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.071 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is secondary education, pupils, gaps filled in United Kingdom?
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled in United Kingdom was 6.40 million in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest secondary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 6.56 million in 2014.
- What is the lowest secondary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.15 million in 1971.
- How does United Kingdom rank for secondary education, pupils, gaps filled?
- United Kingdom ranks 20th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is secondary education, pupils, gaps filled rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 53 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Secondary education, pupils with 698 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Secondary education, pupils Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Secondary education, pupils with 698 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.