Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education was 82.7% in 2018. ▬ Flat

Latest (2018)
82.7%
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
12th
of 53 countries
All-time high
87.2%
in 2000
All-time low
81.0%
in 2006
Years of data
7
2000–2018

Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2000–2018

0204060802000200920182000: 87.2 %2003: 85.1 %2006: 81 %2009: 81.6 %2012: 83.4 %2015: 82.1 %2018: 82.7 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2018, proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 82.7%.

That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and up 1.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 87.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 81.0%, in 2006.

That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 12th out of 53 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top quarter.

Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading, both sexes (%) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2000 to 2018.
Year % Change
2000 87.2%
2003 85.1% -2.4%
2006 81.0% -4.8%
2009 81.6% +0.7%
2012 83.4% +2.2%
2015 82.1% -1.5%
2018 82.7% +0.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 83.7% 81.0% 87.2% 4
2010s 82.7% 82.1% 83.4% 3

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 9 Republic of Korea 84.9% compare
  2. 10 Denmark 84.0% compare
  3. 11 Spain 83.8% compare
  4. 13 Slovenia 82.1% compare
  5. 14 Sweden 81.6% compare
  6. 15 New Zealand 81.0% compare

See the full ranking of 53 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 proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 82.7% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 87.2% in 2000.
What is the lowest proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 81.0% in 2006.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 12th out of 53 countries with data for 2018.
Is proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
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 Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-students-at-the-end-of-lower-secondary-education-achieving-at-least-a-14/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
53 places, 336 data points, 2000–2018
Last refreshed

Percentage of children at the end of lower secondary education reaching at least a minimum proficiency level in reading. A minimum proficiency level (MPL) is the benchmark of basic knowledge in a domain (mathematics, reading, etc.) measured through learning assessments. The indicator is calculated as the number of children and/or young people at the relevant stage of education n in a given year t achieving or exceeding the pre-defined proficiency level in a given subject s, expressed as a percentage of the total number of children and/or young people at stage of education n, in year t, in any proficiency level in subject s. The higher the value of the indicator, the higher the proportion of children or young adults who have acquired the minimum level of meaningful competencies. Data are calculated by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics from sources that include the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), Programme for International Student Assessment for Development (PISA-D), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), El Laboratorio Latino americano de Evaluación de la Calidad de la Educación (LLECE), Programme d’analyse des systèmes éducatifs de la confemen (PASEC), Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Education Quality (SACMEQ), Pacific Islands Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (PILNA), national assessments data collected through the Catalogue of Learning Assessments (CLA) and/or available in national reports, and population-based assessments (Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) and Early Grade Mathematics Assessment (EGMA), UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), People’s Action for Learning (PAL) NETWORK: e.g. Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), UWEZO, etc.)). For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute for Statistics: http://uis.unesco.org/