In the United Kingdom, there were 4,181 secondary schools in the 2023/24 academic year compared with 4,121 in 2010/11. In the provided time period, the number of secondary schools in the UK has fluctuated between a low of 4,072 schools in 2011/12 and a high of 4,204 schools in 2021/22.

There were approximately 10.63 million pupils attending schools in the United Kingdom in 2023/24, compared with 10.7 million in the previous year and 9.65 million in 2010/11.

United Kingdom UK: Secondary Education: Vocational Pupils: % Female data was reported at 49.404 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 50.092 % for 2014. United Kingdom UK: Secondary Education: Vocational Pupils: % Female data is updated yearly, averaging 49.404 % from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2015, with 45 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 57.320 % in 1986 and a record low of 45.673 % in 1971. United Kingdom UK: Secondary Education: Vocational Pupils: % Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.World Bank: Education Statistics. Secondary vocational pupils are the number of secondary students enrolled in technical and vocational education programs, including teacher training.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

This statistic displays the average number of individuals in state secondary schools per household in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2017/18, by decile group. Households in the second, third and fifth deciles had, on average, 0.2 individuals in state secondary schools. This was the highest number of individuals in state secondary schools, per household, of any decile group. All other decile groups had, on average, 0.1 individuals in state secondary schools.

In 2024 there were approximately 1,411 private or independent schools in the United Kingdom, compared with 1,374 in 2020.

United Kingdom UK: School Enrollment: Secondary: Private: % of Total Secondary data was reported at 70.828 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 69.494 % for 2014. United Kingdom UK: School Enrollment: Secondary: Private: % of Total Secondary data is updated yearly, averaging 27.445 % from Dec 1999 (Median) to 2015, with 17 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 70.828 % in 2015 and a record low of 24.869 % in 2007. United Kingdom UK: School Enrollment: Secondary: Private: % of Total Secondary data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Private enrollment refers to pupils or students enrolled in institutions that are not operated by a public authority but controlled and managed, whether for profit or not, by a private body such as a nongovernmental organization, religious body, special interest group, foundation or business enterprise.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

United Kingdom UK: School Enrollment: Secondary: Female: % Net data was reported at 99.329 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 98.349 % for 2014. United Kingdom UK: School Enrollment: Secondary: Female: % Net data is updated yearly, averaging 92.734 % from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2015, with 41 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99.329 % in 2015 and a record low of 70.787 % in 1971. United Kingdom UK: School Enrollment: Secondary: Female: % Net data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Net enrollment rate is the ratio of children of official school age who are enrolled in school to the population of the corresponding official school age. Secondary education completes the provision of basic education that began at the primary level, and aims at laying the foundations for lifelong learning and human development, by offering more subject- or skill-oriented instruction using more specialized teachers.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Forecast: Pupil-Teacher Ratio in Upper Secondary Education in the UK 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The purpose of this study was to collect follow-up data on the children included in the national sample interviewed in the 1964 survey of primary school children for the Plowden Central Advisory Council for Education in England and Wales, using questionnaires to gather information on school characteristics, teachers' assessments and educational achievement for each child.
Main Topics:

There were five questionnaires. These were:
1. (administered to teachers of children still in primary school)
Class: sex of pupils; size of class; whether streamed and, if so, at what level, age range.
Child: friendship network; leadership behaviour; popularity; punctuality and attendance record; reasons for absences; discussions with parents on child's work and at whose instigation; extent of parental interest; child's attitude to school work and reaction to criticism/punishment; child's temperament (e.g. nervous, shy, aggressive, etc.); participation in sports and school events; general level of involvement in school life; any handicaps and type.
2. (administered to teachers of children in secondary schools).
Class: sex of pupils; number of children; whether streamed and at what level; age range.
Child: assessment of child's ability (whether would obtain 'O' and `A' levels or CSE in various subjects, whether would benefit from extra year beyond school leaving age). Further questions as Questionnaire 1.
3. (administered to all pupils).
Whether homework set, how much time spent on it and whether helped by anyone; intended school leaving age, preferred age of leaving if free choice available, intended post-school activity, book borrowing activity from library, three favourite subjects, spare-time activities, whether intend to sit examination and which type, intended career or job, agreement or disagreement (on a five point scale) with a number of statements about child's school experiences, attitudes to school in general, friendship networks, own personality.
4. (administered to heads of primary schools attended by children in sample in 1968).
Facts about School: age range and sex of pupils; type of funding; denomination; number of junior pupils on roll; age of school and school buildings; occupational background of pupil's father in percentages; number of top juniors eligible for academic secondary education; whether school has boarders.
Continuity from Primary to Secondary School: information supplied to secondary schools about pupils; attempts to acclimatise juniors to future secondary schools; school involvement in parental choice of secondary school.
School-Parent Interaction: number of parental invitations to school and for what purpose; how invitations made; parental attendance records. Whether school provides (and in what form): booklet or newsletter on school for parents; information on kinds of educational principles and practices of school; advice on suitable reading and television viewing for parents. Whether school has parent-teacher association, steps taken to encourage parental involvement with school work at home, visits by staff to pupils' homes.
Curriculum and Pupil Activities: how curriculum developed; type of teaching used (e.g. short lessons on specific sections, large blocks allocated to projects etc.); any reference to local community in curriculum; extent of day trips outside school.
Aspects of School Order: school uniform; corporal punishment; other punishments.
Accommodation and Equipment: specifically equipped rooms for activities, library provision; audio-visual equipment available; outdoor games; accommodation for gymnastics; dining & school assembly.
Head: length of tenure; previous appointments; length and type of teaching service; educational background; age; sex.
Teaching Staff: number full and part-time; number of male, graduate, unqualified and graded-post staff; age distribution of full-time staff; length of service of full-time staff.
5. (administered to heads of secondary schools attended by children in sample).
As above (4) with following additions: percentages of pupils staying on at school for 5th year and 6th year.
Pupil Activities: activities provided for out of school hours; support of such activities and reasons; any joint activities with other schools; social welfare work in community by students; day trips; longer trips.
Aspects of School Order: attitude to alternative dress and make-up; schools council; prefect system.
Accommodation and equipment: swimming pool and playing fields on site.

School age population, secondary education, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom was reported at 5248938 Persons in 2020, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United Kingdom - Population of the official age for secondary education, both sexes - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on February of 2025.

In 2023/24, approximately 20.8 percent of all pupils at schools in England did not speak English as a first language, compared with 18 percent in 2015/16.

Table shows numbers of all Schools and Pupils by Type of School.

School types included in this publication are State-Funded Primary, Secondary and Special schools, Independent schools, Pupil Referral Units, and Alternative Provision.

See DfE website

Full daily dataset of all schools and pupil numbers are available from the DFE EduBase site

This is a point dataset compiled using the Department for Educations Schools in England dataset and has been published by Esri UK. This dataset is updated monthly. This point dataset is reflective of the December 2014 update showing the open schools for this month.

The points were created using OS Open Data.

Graph and download economic data for Ratio of Female to Male Secondary School Enrollment for the United Kingdom (SEENRSECOFMZSGBR) from 1971 to 2020 about enrolled, secondary schooling, secondary, females, males, ratio, United Kingdom, and education.