Trends in Compulsory Education

This POSTnote focuses on trends in UK compulsory education and outlines where trends differ between individual nations.

Five trends can be identified in compulsory education across the UK: changes in the attainment gap between different pupil groups, rising pupil numbers, decreasing numbers of people entering initial teacher training, the growing use of technology and changing levels of school autonomy and diversity. Three factors are shaping these trends: population growth, inequality and the changing labour market.