Teachers in primary education, female in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Teachers in primary education, female was 240,699 number in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
240,699 number
Change on year
down 11.3%
World rank
18th
of 196 countries
All-time high
271,515 number
in 2017
All-time low
167,000 number
in 1987
Years of data
38
1971–2018

Teachers in primary education, female in United Kingdom, 1971–2018

0100.0k200.0k300.0k1971199420181971: 192.4k number1972: 201.6k number1973: 211.8k number1974: 218.6k number1975: 222.3k number1976: 230.7k number1977: 219.2k number1978: 215.2k number1979: 215.0k number1980: 212.0k number1982: 195.6k number1983: 192.0k number1984: 191.0k number1985: 193.0k number1987: 167.0k number1988: 168.0k number1989: 175.0k number1990: 178.0k number1991: 178.8k number1992: 180.0k number1999: 202.0k number2000: 201.3k number2001: 213.9k number2002: 216.0k number2003: 213.6k number2004: 210.9k number2005: 216.5k number2006: 203.2k number2007: 207.8k number2008: 199.0k number2009: 198.6k number2010: 219.4k number2011: 222.7k number2012: 214.9k number2013: 218.1k number2016: 265.6k number2017: 271.5k number2018: 240.7k number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

United Kingdom recorded 240,699 number for teachers in primary education, female in 2018.

The figure is down 11.3% on the previous year and up 20.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, teachers in primary education, female in United Kingdom peaked at 271,515 number in 2017 and was at its lowest, 167,000 number, in 1987.

United Kingdom ranks 18th of 196 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 38 years of available data.

Teachers in primary education, female in United Kingdom, year by year

Annual values for Teachers in primary education, female (number) in United Kingdom, 1971 to 2018.
Year number Change
1971 192,409 number
1972 201,573 number +4.8%
1973 211,780 number +5.1%
1974 218,601 number +3.2%
1975 222,336 number +1.7%
1976 230,659 number +3.7%
1977 219,163 number -5.0%
1978 215,186 number -1.8%
1979 215,029 number -0.1%
1980 211,953 number -1.4%
1982 195,584 number -7.7%
1983 192,000 number -1.8%
1984 191,000 number -0.5%
1985 193,000 number +1.0%
1987 167,000 number -13.5%
1988 168,000 number +0.6%
1989 175,000 number +4.2%
1990 178,000 number +1.7%
1991 178,800 number +0.4%
1992 180,000 number +0.7%
1999 201,987 number +12.2%
2000 201,264 number -0.4%
2001 213,905 number +6.3%
2002 216,011 number +1.0%
2003 213,561 number -1.1%
2004 210,946 number -1.2%
2005 216,489 number +2.6%
2006 203,232 number -6.1%
2007 207,835 number +2.3%
2008 199,034 number -4.2%
2009 198,574 number -0.2%
2010 219,430 number +10.5%
2011 222,652 number +1.5%
2012 214,898 number -3.5%
2013 218,064 number +1.5%
2016 265,587 number +21.8%
2017 271,515 number +2.2%
2018 240,699 number -11.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 214,082 number 192,409 number 230,659 number 9
1980s 186,692 number 167,000 number 211,953 number 8
1990s 184,697 number 178,000 number 201,987 number 4
2000s 208,085 number 198,574 number 216,489 number 10
2010s 236,121 number 214,898 number 271,515 number 7

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 15 Argentina 252,452 number compare
  2. 16 Japan 248,338 number compare
  3. 17 Italy 241,634 number compare
  4. 19 Poland 235,314 number compare
  5. 20 Germany 213,874 number compare
  6. 21 France 202,491 number compare

See the full ranking of 241 places →

More education data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is teachers in primary education, female in United Kingdom?
Teachers in primary education, female in United Kingdom was 240,699 number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest teachers in primary education, female recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 271,515 number in 2017.
What is the lowest teachers in primary education, female recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 167,000 number in 1987.
How does United Kingdom rank for teachers in primary education, female?
United Kingdom ranks 18th out of 196 countries with data for 2018.
Is teachers in primary education, female rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 20.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Teachers in primary education, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Teachers in primary education, female in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/teachers-in-primary-education-female-number/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Teachers in primary education, female (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
241 places, 7,410 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Total number of female teachers in public and private primary education institutions. Teachers are persons employed full time or part time in an official capacity to guide and direct the learning experience of pupils and students, irrespective of their qualifications or the delivery mechanism, i.e. face-to-face and/or at a distance. This definition excludes educational personnel who have no active teaching duties (e.g. headmasters, headmistresses or principals who do not teach) and persons who work occasionally or in a voluntary capacity in educational institutions.