Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary was 34,833 number in 2018. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2018)
34,833 number
Change on year
up 49.8%
World rank
71st
of 149 countries
All-time high
417,973 number
in 1975
All-time low
8,060 number
in 2000
Years of data
31
1971–2018

Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1971–2018

0100.0k200.0k300.0k400.0k1971199420181971: 182.0k number1972: 249.5k number1973: 366.7k number1974: 386.4k number1975: 418.0k number1976: 294.6k number1977: 272.8k number1978: 263.2k number1979: 266.8k number1981: 175.8k number1982: 208.8k number1998: 33.9k number1999: 16.5k number2000: 8.1k number2001: 8.6k number2002: 18.2k number2003: 15.3k number2004: 36.3k number2005: 11.3k number2006: 45.5k number2007: 182.9k number2008: 81.5k number2009: 79.6k number2010: 68.9k number2011: 106.5k number2012: 196.1k number2013: 84.2k number2014: 78.5k number2015: 41.4k number2017: 23.2k number2018: 34.8k number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 34,833 number for out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in 2018.

The figure is up 49.8% on the previous year and down 57.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 417,973 number in 1975 and was at its lowest, 8,060 number, in 2000.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 71st of 149 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary school age, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1971 to 2018.
Year number Change
1971 182,041 number
1972 249,463 number +37.0%
1973 366,674 number +47.0%
1974 386,442 number +5.4%
1975 417,973 number +8.2%
1976 294,567 number -29.5%
1977 272,790 number -7.4%
1978 263,214 number -3.5%
1979 266,766 number +1.3%
1981 175,819 number -34.1%
1982 208,783 number +18.7%
1998 33,896 number -83.8%
1999 16,538 number -51.2%
2000 8,060 number -51.3%
2001 8,629 number +7.1%
2002 18,237 number +111.3%
2003 15,252 number -16.4%
2004 36,315 number +138.1%
2005 11,281 number -68.9%
2006 45,515 number +303.5%
2007 182,913 number +301.9%
2008 81,482 number -55.5%
2009 79,625 number -2.3%
2010 68,932 number -13.4%
2011 106,515 number +54.5%
2012 196,089 number +84.1%
2013 84,155 number -57.1%
2014 78,504 number -6.7%
2015 41,397 number -47.3%
2017 23,250 number -43.8%
2018 34,833 number +49.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 299,992 number 182,041 number 417,973 number 9
1980s 192,301 number 175,819 number 208,783 number 2
1990s 25,217 number 16,538 number 33,896 number 2
2000s 48,731 number 8,060 number 182,913 number 10
2010s 79,209 number 23,250 number 196,089 number 8

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 68 Australia 39,079 number compare
  2. 69 Botswana 38,596 number compare
  3. 70 Namibia 36,973 number compare
  4. 72 Armenia 34,172 number compare
  5. 73 Eswatini 33,994 number compare
  6. 74 Palestine, State of 31,846 number compare

See the full ranking of 194 places →

More reference data data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 34,833 number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 417,973 number in 1975.
What is the lowest out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 8,060 number in 2000.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 71st out of 149 countries with data for 2018.
Is out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 57.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary school age, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 31 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/out-of-school-children-and-adolescents-of-primary-and-lower-secondary-school-age-both/united-kingdom/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/out-of-school-children-and-adolescents-of-primary-and-lower-secondary-school-age-both/united-kingdom/">Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary school age, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
194 places, 4,726 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Number of children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary school age who are not enrolled or attending school during in a given academic year. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/