Theoretical duration of upper secondary education in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Theoretical duration of upper secondary education was 4 years in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
4 years
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
6th
of 215 countries
All-time high
4 years
in 1970
All-time low
4 years
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Theoretical duration of upper secondary education in United Kingdom, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2025, theoretical duration of upper secondary education in United Kingdom stood at 4 years. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, theoretical duration of upper secondary education in United Kingdom peaked at 4 years in 1970 and was at its lowest, 4 years, in 1970.
That places United Kingdom 6th out of 215 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
Theoretical duration of upper secondary education in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4 years | — |
| 1971 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 4 years | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 4 Anguilla 2 years compare
- 4 Montserrat 2 years compare
- 4 Tokelau 2 years compare
- 6 United Arab Emirates 4 years compare
- 6 Austria 4 years compare
- 6 Burundi 4 years compare
- 6 Belgium 4 years compare
- 6 Bangladesh 4 years compare
- 6 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4 years compare
- 6 Bermuda 4 years compare
- 6 Bolivia 4 years compare
- 6 Switzerland 4 years compare
- 6 Chile 4 years compare
- 6 Democratic Republic of Congo 4 years compare
- 6 Czechia 4 years compare
- 6 Eritrea 4 years compare
- 6 Micronesia (country) 4 years compare
- 6 Gibraltar 4 years compare
- 6 Croatia 4 years compare
- 6 Haiti 4 years compare
- 6 Hungary 4 years compare
- 6 India 4 years compare
- 6 Iceland 4 years compare
- 6 Kenya 4 years compare
- 6 Kiribati 4 years compare
- 6 Sri Lanka 4 years compare
- 6 Luxembourg 4 years compare
- 6 Marshall Islands 4 years compare
- 6 North Macedonia 4 years compare
- 6 Malta 4 years compare
- 6 Montenegro 4 years compare
- 6 Mauritius 4 years compare
- 6 Nepal 4 years compare
- 6 Pakistan 4 years compare
- 6 Palau 4 years compare
- 6 Poland 4 years compare
- 6 Romania 4 years compare
- 6 Solomon Islands 4 years compare
- 6 Sierra Leone 4 years compare
- 6 Somalia 4 years compare
- 6 Serbia 4 years compare
- 6 South Sudan 4 years compare
- 6 Slovakia 4 years compare
- 6 Slovenia 4 years compare
- 6 Seychelles 4 years compare
- 6 Tunisia 4 years compare
- 6 Turkey 4 years compare
- 6 Zimbabwe 4 years compare
More education data for United Kingdom
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,022 tertiary education (2023)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0495 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 281,128 (2023)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre-primary education 2 years (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is theoretical duration of upper secondary education in United Kingdom?
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education in United Kingdom was 4 years in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest theoretical duration of upper secondary education recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 4 years in 1970.
- What is the lowest theoretical duration of upper secondary education recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 4 years in 1970.
- How does United Kingdom rank for theoretical duration of upper secondary education?
- United Kingdom ranks 6th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is theoretical duration of upper secondary education rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release