Department for Education · 5 July 2024 – present
Pupils in secondary school classes during the Labour 2024– government
↑ 0.3%+11,468 pupils
Pupils in secondary school classes rose by 0.3% over the period, from 3,348,459 pupils (2022/23 academic year, the level when the government took office) to 3,359,927 (2025/26 academic year, the latest available). That is an average of +0.1% a year over the term.
- Inherited level 2022/23 academic year: 3,348,459
- Latest 2025/26 academic year: 3,359,927
- 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.