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Education · Europe & Central Asia · High income
United Kingdom: education in numbers
Pre-primary enrolment is 105.8% (2020), 12th of 176 in the world and 5th of 51 in Europe & Central Asia. Primary enrolment is 102.2% (2023), 70th of 191 in the world and 19th of 53 in Europe & Central Asia. Primary completion is 101.1% (2023), 26th of 168 in the world and 9th of 47 in Europe & Central Asia.
Pre-primary enrolment
United KingdomEurope & Central AsiaHigh incomeWorld
Primary enrolment
United KingdomEurope & Central AsiaHigh incomeWorld
10 indicators
Education: United Kingdom in detail
Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Europe & Central Asia; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.
| Indicator | Latest | World rank | In region | ~2000 | ~2010 | ~2020 | 10-year change | Region | Income group | World | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-primary enrolmentPre-primary enrolment, % gross | 105.8%2020 | 12/176 | 5/51 | 79.9% | 81.8% | 105.8% | +24.0 ppsince 2010 | 78.3% | 83.8% | 60.9% | |
| Primary enrolmentPrimary school enrolment, % gross | 102.2%2023 | 70/191 | 19/53 | 100.6% | 105.7% | 102.3% | −3.2 ppsince 2013 | 99.9% | 99.8% | 102.2% | |
| Primary completionPrimary completion rate, % of age group | 101.1%2023 | 26/168 | 9/47 | · | · | 99.6% | — | 98.1% | 97.8% | 88.0% | |
| Secondary enrolmentSecondary school enrolment, % gross | 112.1%2023 | 23/176 | 13/53 | 101.2% | 103.5% | 114.6% | −13.9 ppsince 2013 | 103.3% | 103.2% | 77.3% | |
| Lower secondary completionLower secondary completion rate, % of age group | 98.0%2023 | 36/168 | 17/50 | · | · | 98.0% | — | 91.9% | 95.6% | 77.9% | |
| Tertiary enrolmentTertiary enrolment, % gross | 80.4%2023 | 28/172 | 17/52 | 57.4% | 59.8% | 69.4% | +23.6 ppsince 2013 | 84.9% | 82.0% | 43.6% | |
| Out-of-school childrenChildren out of school, % of primary school age | 0.1%2023 | 173/178 | 50/51 | 0.1% | 0.6% | 0.0% | −1.8 ppsince 2013 | — | 2.5% | — | |
| Pupils per teacherPupils per teacher, primary | 15.12017 | 111/173 | 16/48 | 18.7 | 17.5 | · | −12%since 2007 | 14.9 | 14.0 | 23.4 | |
| Education spendingPublic spending on education, % of GDP | 5.9%2021 | 30/184 | 8/49 | 4.0% | 5.7% | 5.4% | +0.3 ppsince 2011 | 4.6% | 4.7% | 3.6% | |
| Education, % of budgetEducation spending, % of government expenditure | 11.8%2021 | 110/179 | 25/49 | 11.9% | 12.8% | 14.0% | −0.6 ppsince 2011 | 11.7% | 12.0% | 14.0% |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.
Better than ten years ago
- Pre-primary enrolment+24.0 pp105.8% in 2020
- Tertiary enrolment+23.6 pp80.4% in 2023
- Out-of-school children−1.8 pp0.1% in 2023
- Pupils per teacher−12%15.1 in 2017
Worse than ten years ago
- Secondary enrolment−13.9 pp112.1% in 2023
Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).
neighbours
United Kingdom and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with United Kingdom. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | United Kingdom | Ireland |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-primary enrolment | 105.8%2020 | 95.4%2020 |
| Primary enrolment | 102.2%2023 | 96.5%2022 |
| Primary completion | 101.1%2023 | 93.7%2022 |
| Secondary enrolment | 112.1%2023 | 130.6%2022 |
| Lower secondary completion | 98.0%2023 | 100.8%2022 |
| Tertiary enrolment | 80.4%2023 | 77.6%2022 |
| Out-of-school children | 0.1%2023 | 1.8%2022 |
| Pupils per teacher | 15.12017 | 16.12012 |
| Education spending | 5.9%2021 | 2.9%2021 |