United Kingdom: School enrollment, preprimary (% gross)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2020, United Kingdom's school enrollment, preprimary (% gross) fell 0.12 percentage points on 2019 (from 105.88% to 105.76%).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1984 to 2019), the average change was +1.26 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 5.61 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 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 14 percentage points in 2015 and the biggest yearly fall was 17.64 percentage points in 2004. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2011 to 2020 the straight-line trend is upward, about 3.31 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 72% of the movement over 10 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 2020, United Kingdom had the 13th highest value of the 72 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.

Closest to United Kingdom in the 2020 ranking

• Israel — 9th of 72: 111.23%
• Germany — 10th of 72: 108.03%
• France — 11th of 72: 106.66%
• Denmark — 13th of 72: 103.2%
• Switzerland — 14th of 72: 102.87%
• Austria — 15th of 72: 102.86%

What this measures

Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Preprimary education refers to programs at the initial stage of organized instruction, designed primarily to introduce very young children to a school-type environment and to provide a bridge between home and school.

Limitations: Enrollment indicators are based on annual school surveys, but do not necessarily reflect actual attendance or dropout rates during the year. Also, the length of education differs across countries and can influence enrollment rates, although the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) tries to minimize the difference. For example, a shorter duration for primary education tends to increase the rate; a longer one to decrease it (in part because older children are more at risk of dropping out). Moreover, age at enrollment may be inaccurately estimated or misstated, especially in communities where registration of births is not strictly enforced.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 34 values

School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) in nearby economies

• Albania — 69.23% (2021)
• Armenia — 28.78% (2021)
• Austria — 102.86% (2020)
• Azerbaijan — 46.29% (2021)
• Belarus — 96.77% (2021)
• Belgium — 112.43% (2020)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 25.47% (2021)
• Bulgaria — 84.29% (2020)
• Croatia — 70.91% (2020)
• Cyprus — 86.66% (2020)
• Czechia

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

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Questions people ask

What is United Kingdom's school enrollment, preprimary (% gross)?

105.76% in 2020, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1976?

It is up 71.53 percentage points from 34.23% in 1976. The highest value was 110.34% in 2016 and the lowest 34.23% in 1976.

How does United Kingdom rank?

13th highest of 72 economies with data for 2020.

Is the latest change in school enrollment, preprimary (% gross) unusual for United Kingdom?

In 2020, United Kingdom's school enrollment, preprimary (% gross) fell 0.12 percentage points on 2019 (from 105.88% to 105.76%). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1984 to 2019), the average change was +1.26 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 5.61 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 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.PRE.ENRR, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://uis.unesco.org/bdds, publisher: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) 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.

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