Department for Education · 13 December 2019 – 5 July 2024
Pupils in secondary school classes during the Conservative 2019–2024 government
↑ 8.3%+257,961 pupils
Pupils in secondary school classes rose by 8.3% over the period, from 3,090,498 pupils (2018/19 academic year, the level when the government took office) to 3,348,459 (2022/23 academic year, the last complete period before it left office). That is an average of +2.0% a year over the term.
- Inherited level 2018/19 academic year: 3,090,498
- Level when it left 2022/23 academic year: 3,348,459
- method: latest complete period before start / before end
Changes during this period do not by themselves show what the government caused. Statistics reflect many influences, including earlier decisions, the economy and how the data is collected.
The chart as a table
| Period | Pupils in secondary school classes |
|---|---|
| 2015/16 academic year | 2,963,359 pupils |
| 2016/17 academic year | 2,994,796 pupils |
| 2017/18 academic year | 3,030,930 pupils |
| 2018/19 academic year | 3,090,498 pupils |
| 2019/20 academic year | 3,167,115 pupils |
| 2020/21 academic year | 3,241,481 pupils |
| 2021/22 academic year | 3,295,442 pupils |
| 2022/23 academic year | 3,348,459 pupils |
| 2023/24 academic year | 3,375,146 pupils |
| 2024/25 academic year | 3,369,207 pupils |
| 2025/26 academic year | 3,359,927 pupils |
Definition and caveats
The number of pupils taught in classes in state-funded secondary schools in England, counted in the January school census as taught during one selected period.
Doesn’t measure: Pupils in independent schools or alternative provision, or class sizes at other times of the school day: the census records one selected period.