9 June 201713 December 2019

Education during the Conservative 2017–2019 government

Summary

MetricLevel when government took officeLatestChange during government
Census 2021 highest qualification by country of birthONS · peopleNo complete period was published before this government took office.
Persistent absenceDepartment for Education · percent10.5%2015/16 academic year10.9%2018/19 academic year 3.5%+0.4% · 3 periods
Severe absenceDepartment for Education · percent0.6%2015/16 academic year0.8%2018/19 academic year 40.7%+0.2% · 3 periods
Pupils persistently absentDepartment for Education · pupils707,3902015/16 academic year771,8632018/19 academic year 9.1%+64,473 · 3 periods
Pupils with an education, health and care planDepartment for Education · pupils236,8062015/16 academic year271,1652018/19 academic year 14.5%+34,359 · 3 periods
Pupils with an EHC plan, shareDepartment for Education · percent2.8%2015/16 academic year3.1%2018/19 academic year 11.1%+0.3% · 3 periods
Pupils on SEN support, shareDepartment for Education · percent11.6%2015/16 academic year11.9%2018/19 academic year 2.5%+0.3% · 3 periods
Average Attainment 8 scoreDepartment for Education · pointsNo complete period was published before this government took office.
Apprenticeship startsDepartment for Education · startsNo complete period was published before this government took office.
Apprenticeship achievementsDepartment for Education · achievementsNo complete period was published before this government took office.
Young people not in education, employment or trainingDepartment for Education · percent11.3%201611.3%2018 0.1%+0% · 2 periods
Young people NEET, numberDepartment for Education · people668,4112016650,7652018 2.6%17,647 · 2 periods
Average primary class sizeDepartment for Education · pupils27.12015/16 academic year27.12018/19 academic year 0.0%0 · 3 periods
Average secondary class sizeDepartment for Education · pupils20.42015/16 academic year21.72018/19 academic year 6.4%+1.3 · 3 periods

Census 2021 highest qualification by country of birth

No complete period was published before this government took office.

Persistent absence

Inherited 2015/16 academic year: 10.5% percent. Latest 2018/19 academic year: 10.9%.

Persistent absence: 2006/07 academic year to 2024/25 academic yearLabourLabourCoalitionCoalitionConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabour0%10%20%20102015202020252006/07 academic year: 19.3% percent · published 4 August 20262007/08 academic year: 18.5% percent · published 4 August 20262008/09 academic year: 18.5% percent · published 4 August 20262009/10 academic year: 17.4% percent · published 4 August 20262010/11 academic year: 16.3% percent · published 4 August 20262011/12 academic year: 13.5% percent · published 4 August 20262012/13 academic year: 13.6% percent · published 4 August 20262013/14 academic year: 10.7% percent · published 4 August 20262014/15 academic year: 11% percent · published 4 August 20262015/16 academic year: 10.5% percent · published 4 August 20262016/17 academic year: 10.8% percent · published 4 August 20262017/18 academic year: 11.2% percent · published 4 August 20262018/19 academic year: 10.9% percent · published 4 August 20262020/21 academic year: 12.1% percent · published 4 August 20262021/22 academic year: 22.5% percent · published 4 August 20262022/23 academic year: 21.2% percent · published 4 August 20262023/24 academic year: 20% percent · published 4 August 20262024/25 academic year: 18.1% percent · published 4 August 2026

Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Severe absence

Inherited 2015/16 academic year: 0.6% percent. Latest 2018/19 academic year: 0.8%.

Severe absence: 2006/07 academic year to 2024/25 academic yearLabourLabourCoalitionCoalitionConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabour0%1%2%20102015202020252006/07 academic year: 1% percent · published 4 August 20262007/08 academic year: 0.9% percent · published 4 August 20262008/09 academic year: 0.8% percent · published 4 August 20262009/10 academic year: 0.7% percent · published 4 August 20262010/11 academic year: 0.7% percent · published 4 August 20262011/12 academic year: 0.6% percent · published 4 August 20262012/13 academic year: 0.6% percent · published 4 August 20262013/14 academic year: 0.6% percent · published 4 August 20262014/15 academic year: 0.6% percent · published 4 August 20262015/16 academic year: 0.6% percent · published 4 August 20262016/17 academic year: 0.7% percent · published 4 August 20262017/18 academic year: 0.8% percent · published 4 August 20262018/19 academic year: 0.8% percent · published 4 August 20262020/21 academic year: 1.1% percent · published 4 August 20262021/22 academic year: 1.7% percent · published 4 August 20262022/23 academic year: 2% percent · published 4 August 20262023/24 academic year: 2.3% percent · published 4 August 20262024/25 academic year: 2.4% percent · published 4 August 2026

Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Pupils persistently absent

Inherited 2015/16 academic year: 707,390 pupils. Latest 2018/19 academic year: 771,863.

Pupils persistently absent: 2006/07 academic year to 2024/25 academic yearLabourLabourCoalitionCoalitionConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabour0500k1m1.5m20102015202020252006/07 academic year: 1,272,613 pupils · published 4 August 20262007/08 academic year: 1,197,110 pupils · published 4 August 20262008/09 academic year: 1,184,704 pupils · published 4 August 20262009/10 academic year: 1,113,456 pupils · published 4 August 20262010/11 academic year: 1,037,527 pupils · published 4 August 20262011/12 academic year: 866,000 pupils · published 4 August 20262012/13 academic year: 883,313 pupils · published 4 August 20262013/14 academic year: 699,561 pupils · published 4 August 20262014/15 academic year: 728,081 pupils · published 4 August 20262015/16 academic year: 707,390 pupils · published 4 August 20262016/17 academic year: 744,276 pupils · published 4 August 20262017/18 academic year: 783,424 pupils · published 4 August 20262018/19 academic year: 771,863 pupils · published 4 August 20262020/21 academic year: 872,438 pupils · published 4 August 20262021/22 academic year: 1,643,876 pupils · published 4 August 20262022/23 academic year: 1,569,303 pupils · published 4 August 20262023/24 academic year: 1,487,022 pupils · published 4 August 20262024/25 academic year: 1,340,437 pupils · published 4 August 2026

Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Pupils with an education, health and care plan

Inherited 2015/16 academic year: 236,806 pupils. Latest 2018/19 academic year: 271,165.

Pupils with an education, health and care plan: 2015/16 academic year to 2025/26 academic yearConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabourLabour0200k400k2016201820202022202420262015/16 academic year: 236,806 pupils · published 4 August 20262016/17 academic year: 242,184 pupils · published 4 August 20262017/18 academic year: 253,679 pupils · published 4 August 20262018/19 academic year: 271,165 pupils · published 4 August 20262019/20 academic year: 294,758 pupils · published 4 August 20262020/21 academic year: 325,618 pupils · published 4 August 20262021/22 academic year: 355,566 pupils · published 4 August 20262022/23 academic year: 389,171 pupils · published 4 August 20262023/24 academic year: 434,354 pupils · published 4 August 20262024/25 academic year: 482,640 pupils · published 4 August 20262025/26 academic year: 538,547 pupils · published 4 August 2026

Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Pupils with an EHC plan, share

Inherited 2015/16 academic year: 2.8% percent. Latest 2018/19 academic year: 3.1%.

Pupils with an EHC plan, share: 2015/16 academic year to 2025/26 academic yearConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabourLabour0%2%4%6%2016201820202022202420262015/16 academic year: 2.8% percent · published 4 August 20262016/17 academic year: 2.8% percent · published 4 August 20262017/18 academic year: 2.9% percent · published 4 August 20262018/19 academic year: 3.1% percent · published 4 August 20262019/20 academic year: 3.3% percent · published 4 August 20262020/21 academic year: 3.7% percent · published 4 August 20262021/22 academic year: 4% percent · published 4 August 20262022/23 academic year: 4.3% percent · published 4 August 20262023/24 academic year: 4.8% percent · published 4 August 20262024/25 academic year: 5.3% percent · published 4 August 20262025/26 academic year: 6% percent · published 4 August 2026

Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Pupils on SEN support, share

Inherited 2015/16 academic year: 11.6% percent. Latest 2018/19 academic year: 11.9%.

Pupils on SEN support, share: 2015/16 academic year to 2025/26 academic yearConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabourLabour0%5%10%2016201820202022202420262015/16 academic year: 11.6% percent · published 4 August 20262016/17 academic year: 11.6% percent · published 4 August 20262017/18 academic year: 11.7% percent · published 4 August 20262018/19 academic year: 11.9% percent · published 4 August 20262019/20 academic year: 12.1% percent · published 4 August 20262020/21 academic year: 12.2% percent · published 4 August 20262021/22 academic year: 12.6% percent · published 4 August 20262022/23 academic year: 13% percent · published 4 August 20262023/24 academic year: 13.6% percent · published 4 August 20262024/25 academic year: 14.2% percent · published 4 August 20262025/26 academic year: 14.8% percent · published 4 August 2026

Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Average Attainment 8 score

No complete period was published before this government took office.

Average Attainment 8 score: 2018/19 academic year to 2024/25 academic yearConservativeConservativeConservativeLabourLabour0204020192020202120222023202420252018/19 academic year: 46.7 points · published 4 August 20262019/20 academic year: 50.2 points · published 4 August 20262020/21 academic year: 50.9 points · published 4 August 20262021/22 academic year: 48.8 points · published 4 August 20262022/23 academic year: 46.3 points · published 4 August 20262023/24 academic year: 45.9 points · published 4 August 20262024/25 academic year: 46.1 points · published 4 August 2026

Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Apprenticeship starts

No complete period was published before this government took office.

Apprenticeship starts: 2017/18 academic year to 2025/26 academic yearConservativeConservativeConservativeLabourLabour0100k200k300k201820202022202420262017/18 academic year: 375,760 starts · published 4 August 20262018/19 academic year: 393,380 starts · published 4 August 20262019/20 academic year: 322,530 starts · published 4 August 20262020/21 academic year: 321,440 starts · published 4 August 20262021/22 academic year: 349,190 starts · published 4 August 20262022/23 academic year: 337,140 starts · published 4 August 20262023/24 academic year: 339,580 starts · published 4 August 20262024/25 academic year: 353,500 starts · published 4 August 20262025/26 academic year: 308,770 starts · published 4 August 2026

Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Apprenticeship achievements

No complete period was published before this government took office.

Apprenticeship achievements: 2017/18 academic year to 2025/26 academic yearConservativeConservativeConservativeLabourLabour0100k200k201820202022202420262017/18 academic year: 276,160 achievements · published 4 August 20262018/19 academic year: 185,150 achievements · published 4 August 20262019/20 academic year: 146,900 achievements · published 4 August 20262020/21 academic year: 156,530 achievements · published 4 August 20262021/22 academic year: 137,220 achievements · published 4 August 20262022/23 academic year: 162,320 achievements · published 4 August 20262023/24 academic year: 178,220 achievements · published 4 August 20262024/25 academic year: 198,330 achievements · published 4 August 20262025/26 academic year: 146,210 achievements · published 4 August 2026

Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Young people not in education, employment or training

Inherited 2016: 11.3% percent. Latest 2018: 11.3%.

Young people not in education, employment or training: 2000 to 2025LabourLabourLabourLabourLabourCoalitionCoalitionConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabour0%5%10%15%2000201020202000: 12.3% percent · published 4 August 20262001: 12.5% percent · published 4 August 20262002: 12.3% percent · published 4 August 20262003: 12.1% percent · published 4 August 20262004: 13.1% percent · published 4 August 20262005: 14.5% percent · published 4 August 20262006: 13.9% percent · published 4 August 20262007: 13% percent · published 4 August 20262008: 14.2% percent · published 4 August 20262009: 14.8% percent · published 4 August 20262010: 15.6% percent · published 4 August 20262011: 16% percent · published 4 August 20262012: 14.9% percent · published 4 August 20262013: 14.1% percent · published 4 August 20262014: 13.1% percent · published 4 August 20262015: 11.6% percent · published 4 August 20262016: 11.3% percent · published 4 August 20262017: 11% percent · published 4 August 20262018: 11.3% percent · published 4 August 20262019: 11.2% percent · published 4 August 20262020: 11.9% percent · published 4 August 20262021: 10.7% percent · published 4 August 20262022: 12.5% percent · published 4 August 20262023: 12.1% percent · published 4 August 20262024: 13.6% percent · published 4 August 20262025: 13.3% percent · published 4 August 2026

Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Young people NEET, number

Inherited 2016: 668,411 people. Latest 2018: 650,765.

Young people NEET, number: 2000 to 2025LabourLabourLabourLabourLabourCoalitionCoalitionConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabour0250k500k750k2000201020202000: 628,846 people · published 4 August 20262001: 659,988 people · published 4 August 20262002: 661,210 people · published 4 August 20262003: 666,843 people · published 4 August 20262004: 737,628 people · published 4 August 20262005: 824,292 people · published 4 August 20262006: 804,099 people · published 4 August 20262007: 767,857 people · published 4 August 20262008: 844,550 people · published 4 August 20262009: 880,179 people · published 4 August 20262010: 933,046 people · published 4 August 20262011: 967,132 people · published 4 August 20262012: 892,618 people · published 4 August 20262013: 845,959 people · published 4 August 20262014: 786,305 people · published 4 August 20262015: 692,155 people · published 4 August 20262016: 668,411 people · published 4 August 20262017: 644,944 people · published 4 August 20262018: 650,765 people · published 4 August 20262019: 649,213 people · published 4 August 20262020: 694,610 people · published 4 August 20262021: 624,000 people · published 4 August 20262022: 739,131 people · published 4 August 20262023: 733,330 people · published 4 August 20262024: 836,955 people · published 4 August 20262025: 839,893 people · published 4 August 2026

Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Average primary class size

Inherited 2015/16 academic year: 27.1 pupils. Latest 2018/19 academic year: 27.1.

Average primary class size: 2015/16 academic year to 2025/26 academic yearConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabourLabour010202016201820202022202420262015/16 academic year: 27.1 pupils · published 4 August 20262016/17 academic year: 27.1 pupils · published 4 August 20262017/18 academic year: 27.1 pupils · published 4 August 20262018/19 academic year: 27.1 pupils · published 4 August 20262019/20 academic year: 27 pupils · published 4 August 20262020/21 academic year: 26.6 pupils · published 4 August 20262021/22 academic year: 26.6 pupils · published 4 August 20262022/23 academic year: 26.7 pupils · published 4 August 20262023/24 academic year: 26.6 pupils · published 4 August 20262024/25 academic year: 26.4 pupils · published 4 August 20262025/26 academic year: 26.1 pupils · published 4 August 2026

Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Average secondary class size

Inherited 2015/16 academic year: 20.4 pupils. Latest 2018/19 academic year: 21.7.

Average secondary class size: 2015/16 academic year to 2025/26 academic yearConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabourLabour010202016201820202022202420262015/16 academic year: 20.4 pupils · published 4 August 20262016/17 academic year: 20.8 pupils · published 4 August 20262017/18 academic year: 21.2 pupils · published 4 August 20262018/19 academic year: 21.7 pupils · published 4 August 20262019/20 academic year: 22 pupils · published 4 August 20262020/21 academic year: 22.3 pupils · published 4 August 20262021/22 academic year: 22.3 pupils · published 4 August 20262022/23 academic year: 22.4 pupils · published 4 August 20262023/24 academic year: 22.4 pupils · published 4 August 20262024/25 academic year: 22.5 pupils · published 4 August 20262025/26 academic year: 22.6 pupils · published 4 August 2026

Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value