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

As of 2025, there were approximately 545,640 pupils attending private or independent schools in the United Kingdom, compared with 565,550 in the previous year.

United Kingdom UK: Secondary Education: Pupils: % Female data was reported at 49.596 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 49.805 % for 2014. United Kingdom UK: Secondary Education: Pupils: % Female data is updated yearly, averaging 49.195 % from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2015, with 45 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 49.921 % in 2013 and a record low of 48.422 % in 1971. United Kingdom UK: Secondary Education: 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. Female pupils as a percentage of total pupils at secondary level includes enrollments in public and private schools.; ; 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: Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Primary data was reported at 17.388 % in 2014. This records a decrease from the previous number of 18.438 % for 2013. United Kingdom UK: Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Primary data is updated yearly, averaging 18.678 % from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2014, with 36 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 23.327 % in 1971 and a record low of 17.105 % in 2003. United Kingdom UK: Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Primary 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. Primary school pupil-teacher ratio is the average number of pupils per teacher in primary school.; ; 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).

In the 2018/19 academic year there were 16.4 students for every one teacher in the United Kingdom, the same as in the previous academic year. Of all school types in the UK, nursery schools had the most children per teacher at 22.9, followed by primary schools at 20.5, middle schools at 15.9 and secondary schools which had 15.9 pupils per teacher.

United Kingdom UK: Secondary Education: General Pupils: % Female data was reported at 49.676 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 49.671 % for 2014. United Kingdom UK: Secondary Education: General Pupils: % Female data is updated yearly, averaging 49.131 % from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2015, with 45 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 49.676 % in 2015 and a record low of 48.519 % in 1971. United Kingdom UK: Secondary Education: General Pupils: % Female 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. Secondary general pupils are the number of secondary students enrolled in general 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).

Interested parties can now request extracts of data from the NPD using an improved application process accessed through the following website; GOV.UK The first version of the NPD, including information from the first pupil level School Census matched to attainment information, was produced in 2002. The NPD is one of the richest education datasets in the world holding a wide range of information about pupils and students and has provided invaluable evidence on educational performance to inform independent research, as well as analysis carried out or commissioned by the department. There are a range of data sources in the NPD providing information about children’s education at different phases. The data includes detailed information about pupils’ test and exam results, prior attainment and progression at each key stage for all state schools in England. The department also holds attainment data for pupils and students in non-maintained special schools, sixth form and further education colleges and (where available) independent schools. The NPD also includes information about the characteristics of pupils in the state sector and non-maintained special schools such as their gender, ethnicity, first language, eligibility for free school meals, awarding of bursary funding for 16-19 year olds, information about special educational needs and detailed information about any absences and exclusions. Extracts of the data from NPD can be shared (under strict terms and conditions) with named bodies and third parties who, for the purpose of promoting the education or well-being of children in England, are:- • Conducting research or analysis • Producing statistics; or • Providing information, advice or guidance. The department wants to encourage more third parties to use the data for these purposes and produce secondary analysis of the data. All applications go through a robust approval process and those granted access are subject to strict terms and conditions on the security, handling and use of the data, including compliance with the Data Protection Act. Anyone requesting access to the most sensitive data will also be required to submit a business case. More information on the application process including the User Guide, Application Form, Security Questionnaire and a full list of data items available can be found from the NPD web page at:- https://www.gov.uk/national-pupil-database-apply-for-a-data-extract

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

United Kingdom UK: Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Lower Secondary data was reported at 15.265 % in 2014. This records a decrease from the previous number of 16.288 % for 2013. United Kingdom UK: Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Lower Secondary data is updated yearly, averaging 15.396 % from Dec 1993 (Median) to 2014, with 17 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 16.288 % in 2013 and a record low of 14.489 % in 1996. United Kingdom UK: Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Lower Secondary 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. Lower secondary school pupil-teacher ratio is the average number of pupils per teacher in lower secondary school.; ; 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: Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Upper Secondary data was reported at 16.166 % in 2014. This records an increase from the previous number of 15.633 % for 2013. United Kingdom UK: Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Upper Secondary data is updated yearly, averaging 13.916 % from Dec 1993 (Median) to 2014, with 17 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 16.166 % in 2014 and a record low of 8.705 % in 1996. United Kingdom UK: Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Upper Secondary 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. Upper secondary school pupil-teacher ratio is the average number of pupils per teacher in upper secondary school.; ; 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).

Pupils from the Chinese and Indian ethnic groups were consistently the most likely out of all ethnic groups to go into education, apprenticeships or employment.

United Kingdom UK: Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Preprimary data was reported at 20.044 % in 2014. This records an increase from the previous number of 18.827 % for 2012. United Kingdom UK: Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Preprimary data is updated yearly, averaging 22.837 % from Dec 1987 (Median) to 2014, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 28.752 % in 2002 and a record low of 18.187 % in 2011. United Kingdom UK: Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Preprimary 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. Preprimary school pupil-teacher ratio is the average number of pupils per teacher in preprimary school.; ; 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).

Pupils from the Chinese ethnic group had the highest average ‘Progress 8’ score (1.08) in the 2022 to 2023 school year, followed by pupils from the Indian (0.82) ethnic group.

United Kingdom UK: Secondary Education: General Pupils data was reported at 4,492,280.106 Person in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 4,471,247.274 Person for 2014. United Kingdom UK: Secondary Education: General Pupils data is updated yearly, averaging 4,401,785.000 Person from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2015, with 45 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,134,876.000 Person in 1979 and a record low of 3,833,000.000 Person in 1990. United Kingdom UK: Secondary Education: General Pupils 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 general pupils are the number of secondary students enrolled in general education programs, including teacher training.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Sum; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

In 2022, approximately 84 percent of 15 year old students in the United Kingdom thought other students seemed to like them at school, with a further 75 percent believing that they made friends easily. By contrast, just over a quarter of respondents felt awkward and out of place at school.

This is the number of pupils eligible for and claiming free school meals (FSM) as a percentage of all pupils. This includes state-funded nurseries, state-funded primary schools, state-funded secondary schools, Pupil referral units (PRUs), state-funded special schools and non-maintained special schools. General hospital schools are excluded. This includes full time and part time pupils who are sole or dual main registrations, boarding pupils, and pupils registered with other providers and further education colleges. The information is based on data collected via the pupil level spring school census, school level annual school census, general hospital schools census and alternative provision census.

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In 2024/25, approximately 21.4 percent of all pupils at schools in England did not speak English as a first language, compared with 18 percent in 2015/16.

Primary education, pupils in United Kingdom was reported at 4865496 in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United Kingdom - Primary education, pupils - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.