United Kingdom's primary education, teachers (% female) was 86.44% in 2023, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is down 0.55 percentage points from 86.98% in 2013.
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 86.44% | 2023 |
| Five years earlier | 86.24% | 2018 |
| Ten years earlier | 86.98% | 2013 |
| Highest | 86.98% | 2013 |
| Lowest | 77.3% | 1971 |
| Average since 2016 | 85.96% | 2016–2023 |
| First recorded | 77.3% | 1971 |
What the numbers say
In 2023, United Kingdom's primary education, teachers (% female) rose 0.12 percentage points on 2022 (from 86.32% to 86.44%).
Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1979 to 2022), the average change was +0.29 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.17 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 6.21 percentage points in 2010 and the biggest yearly fall was 2.53 percentage points in 1977. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2016 to 2023 the straight-line trend is upward, about 0.21 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 68% of the movement over 8 observed years.
Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.
How it compares
In 2023, United Kingdom had the 10th highest value of the 37 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 86.44% | 2023 |
| World | 69.21% | 2024 |
| Europe & Central Asia | 85.99% | 2024 |
| High income | 83.51% | 2024 |
Closest to United Kingdom in the 2023 ranking
- Sri Lanka — 7th of 37: 87.86%
- United States — 8th of 37: 87.46%
- Bosnia and Herzegovina — 9th of 37: 86.56%
- North Macedonia — 11th of 37: 85.99%
- Ireland — 12th of 37: 84.48%
- Cyprus — 13th of 37: 84.32%
What this measures
Female teachers as a percentage of total primary education teachers includes full-time and part-time teachers.
Limitations: The indicator measures the level of gender representation in the teaching profession, rather than the effectiveness and quality of teaching.
Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.
All 43 values
| Year | Primary education, teachers (% female) |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 86.44 |
| 2022 | 86.32 |
| 2021 | 86.3 |
| 2020 | 86.3 |
| 2019 | 86.15 |
| 2018 | 86.24 |
| 2017 | 85.24 |
| 2016 | 84.68 |
| 2015 | no data |
| 2014 | no data |
| 2013 |
Primary education, teachers (% female) in nearby economies
More education data for United Kingdom
- Primary school starting age (years) — 5 (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 11 (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years) — 7 (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils — 6.4 million (2023)
- School enrollment, secondary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1.02 (2020)
- Primary education, pupils — 4.86 million (2023)
- Secondary education, general pupils — 4.17 million (2017)
- Secondary education, general pupils (% female) — 49.21% (2017)
- Secondary education, pupils (% female)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is United Kingdom's primary education, teachers (% female)?
- 86.44% in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1971?
- It is up 9.14 percentage points from 77.3% in 1971. The highest value was 86.98% in 2013 and the lowest 77.3% in 1971.
- How does United Kingdom rank?
- 10th highest of 37 economies with data for 2023.
- Is the latest change in primary education, teachers (% female) unusual for United Kingdom?
- In 2023, United Kingdom's primary education, teachers (% female) rose 0.12 percentage points on 2022 (from 86.32% to 86.44%). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1979 to 2022), the average change was +0.29 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.17 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.PRM.TCHR.FE.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.
Want to ask your own questions of data like this? Try AnalyzeIt: upload a file or ask about public data in plain words, and every figure comes with its working.
Legal entity
Devansh Yadav
Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh
Governing law: Courts at Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh
Phone: +91 8433475698
Legal: legal@analyzeit.in