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Pupils in State Schools in England Today

There are approximately 32,000 state-funded schools in England, educating approximately 9.7 million pupils, according to Department for Education statistics. This includes approximately 16,800 primary schools, 3,400 secondary schools, 1,300 special schools and a range of other school types including pupil referral units and alternative provision. The number of schools has declined over recent decades as smaller rural schools have closed and schools have merged.

England's school system has become increasingly diverse in terms of governance and funding models. Approximately 10,000 schools (31%) are academies — publicly funded schools that operate independently of local authority control. Multi-academy trusts (MATs) have grown significantly, with the largest trusts operating 50-100 or more schools. The academisation programme, accelerated since 2010, has fundamentally changed the structure of the school system.

Primary schools in England educate children aged 4-11 in Years 1-6. The average primary school has approximately 280 pupils and 13 teachers. Secondary schools educate children aged 11-18 in Years 7-13. The average secondary school has approximately 980 pupils. Class sizes average approximately 27 pupils in primary schools and 22 in secondary schools.

Teacher shortages are a growing concern across the school system. The government has struggled to meet initial teacher training (ITT) targets in key subjects including mathematics, physics and languages. Teacher recruitment and retention are affected by pay levels, workload and working conditions. Approximately 40,000 qualified teachers leave the profession each year.

School performance is measured through Ofsted inspections and national tests. Approximately 90% of schools are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. GCSE and A-level results are key performance measures, with significant variation between schools, local authorities and regions. The attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers — measured by free school meal eligibility — remains stubbornly persistent.

Source: Department for Education Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics · Data year: 2023/24 · All figures are statistical estimates calculated from official annual publications

How many schools are there in England?

There are approximately 32,000 state-funded schools in England according to DfE statistics, educating approximately 9.7 million pupils. This includes approximately 16,800 primary schools, 3,400 secondary schools and 1,300 special schools. Approximately 31% of schools are academies operating independently of local authority control. The number of schools has declined as smaller schools have closed and merged.

How many pupils are in UK schools?

Approximately 9.7 million pupils attend state-funded schools in England according to DfE data. Adding independent (private) schools, which educate approximately 615,000 pupils (6.5% of all pupils), brings the total to approximately 10.3 million. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have separate school systems with approximately 1.3 million additional pupils combined.

How many secondary schools are in England?

There are approximately 3,400 state-funded secondary schools in England according to DfE statistics, educating approximately 3.9 million pupils in Years 7-11 (and approximately 900,000 in Years 12-13 sixth forms). The average secondary school has approximately 980 pupils. Approximately half of secondary schools are academies. Grammar schools — selective state secondaries — number approximately 163 and are concentrated in specific areas.