Key points

  • There are 172,323 pupils in primary schools (years 1-7), a small decrease from the previous year.

  • In total 151,908 pupils are enrolled in post-primary schools; an increase of nearly 3,000 pupils from 2020/21.

  • There are 22,928 pupils in funded pre-school education, that is, pupils attending a nursery school or class, reception or funded voluntary and private pre-school.

  • Approximately 95,000 pupils in all schools in Northern Ireland are entitled to free school meals and this represents a quarter of all pupils.

Infographic

Introduction

The data in the following bulletin are taken from the school enrolments census, which was conducted in October 2021. Data collected through the school census exercise are used by the Department of Education (DE) to inform a wide range of policy areas, including finance allocations, school estate development and planning, special education, school improvement, area based planning, extended schools, additional educational needs, early years and integrated and Irish medium education. Other users include the Education Authority, the Education and Training Inspectorate and to inform responses to Assembly questions and requests from academic researchers, journalists, lobby groups and the public.

This first release of the basic statistics contains information which is used in the process to allocate funding to schools. These figures are provisional and subject to change. Figures relating to free school meal entitlement, specifically, are expected to rise. This is due to circumstances relating to a large number of late or incomplete free school meal applications, (see the notes on Table 3 for further information). A further statistical release, containing a more detailed set of tables based on finalised and validated data, will be published in February 2022.

Section 1: Schools in Northern Ireland

The numbers of schools in Northern Ireland continues to decrease, from 1,153 in 2017/18 to 1,124 in 2021/22 (Table 1). Much of this decline is accounted for by the drop of 21 primary schools (including preparatory departments) and 7 non-grammar schools from 2017.

The number of funded pre-school settings has dropped from 750 last year to 738 this year. This includes 356 voluntary and private pre-schools, 250 primary schools with nursery provision, 94 nursery schools and 39 primary schools with reception classes.

To avoid double counting the number of primary schools with nursery or reception classes have not been split out separately in Table 1.

Table 1: Number of schools and pre-school education centres by management type 2017/18 - 2021/22

The numbers of schools in Northern Ireland continues to decrease

School and management type 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22
Voluntary and private pre-school education centres [1] 383 386 380 362 356
Nursery schools - Controlled 64 64 64 64 62
Nursery schools - Catholic maintained 31 31 31 31 31
Nursery schools - Controlled Integrated 0 0 0 0 1
Nursery schools - Total 95 95 95 95 94
Primary schools - Controlled 365 365 361 360 355
Primary schools - Catholic maintained [2] 367 363 360 358 355
Primary schools - Other maintained 28 28 28 28 27
Primary schools - Controlled integrated 22 22 22 22 24
Primary schools - Grant maintained integrated 23 23 23 23 23
Primary schools - Total 805 801 794 791 784
Preparatory depts in grammar schools 12 12 12 12 12
Primary schools and preparatory depts - Total 817 813 806 803 796
Secondary (non grammar) schools - Controlled 49 48 48 48 48
Secondary (non grammar) schools - Catholic maintained 62 60 57 57 56
Secondary (non grammar) schools - Other maintained 2 2 2 2 2
Secondary (non grammar) schools - Controlled integrated 5 5 5 5 5
Secondary (non grammar) schools - Grant maintained integrated 15 15 15 15 15
Secondary (non grammar) schools - Total 133 130 127 127 126
Grammar schools - Controlled 16 16 16 16 16
Grammar schools - Voluntary - under Catholic management 29 29 29 29 29
Grammar schools - Voluntary - under other management 21 21 21 21 21
Grammar schools - Total 66 66 66 66 66
Post primary schools - Total 199 196 193 193 192
Special schools 39 39 39 39 39
Hospital schools 1 1 1 1 1
Independent schools 14 14 14 15 14
All schools [3] 1,153 1,146 1,136 1,134 1,124
All schools and pre-school education centres 1,536 1,532 1,516 1,496 1,480

Notes:

  1. Voluntary and private centres funded under the Pre-school Education Expansion Programme, which began in 1998/99.
  2. Catholic maintained total in 2019/20 includes a school that did not have any pupils enrolled on census day.
  3. All schools total does not count preparatory departments as separate schools as they are so closely linked to grammar schools.


Section 2: Enrolments in schools in Northern Ireland

There were over just under 355,000 pupils in all funded schools (including voluntary and private pre-schools) in October 2021 (Table 2). This has increased for the twelfth successive year, and has risen by over 2,000 alone compared to last year.

Figure 1 - Enrolments in primary and post-primary schools in Northern Ireland 2011/12 - 2021/22

The number of pupils in all funded schools has increased for the twelfth successive year

Note: graph has a non-zero axis


Enrolments in primary and preparatory years 1-7 have decreased again, by over 900 pupils when compared to last year (from 173,266 to 172,323) (Figure 1).

Enrolments in post-primary schools have increased for the fifth year in a row to 151,908 pupils.

  • Similarly to last year, enrolments have increased in non-grammar, with an increase this year of almost 2,100. Enrolments in grammar schools have also increased slightly, rising by over 900 pupils. (Table 2).

  • The number of pupils enrolled in sixth form have increased again. This year’s enrolments have increased by over 700 pupils since last year and now stands at 29,387 (Table 2). It is possible that the increase in pupils staying on to study level 3 courses may be a consequence of pupils not sitting examinations in 2019/20 and 2020/21 due to the COVID-19 crisis.

  • The number of pupils enrolled in years 8 – 12 has risen by over 2,200 since last year. This increase is in line with the rise in the number of 11 – 15 year olds in NISRA’s population estimates (.xlsx file, size: 238.7 kB).

The number of children in funded pre-school education, that is, reception classes, nursery schools and units, or voluntary and private pre-school centres, is 22,928, which has dropped by nearly 200 pupils since last year.

Special school enrolments have also gradually increased, rising by over 900 pupils in the last five years to 6,653 in 2021/22.

Figure 2: Enrolments in special schools and funded pre-school education in Northern Ireland 2011/12 - 2021/22

The number of children in pre-school education has dropped from last year and there is an overall increase in the number of pupils over the last eleven years, while the number of special school enrolments has gradually increased

Table 2: Number of pupils in schools and children in funded pre-school education by type of establishment attended 2017/18 - 2021/22

The number of pupils in all funded schools has increased for the twelfth successive year

School and management type 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22
Voluntary and private pre-school education centre [1] 7,954 8,022 8,080 7,464 7,314
Nursery schools - Full-time 3,943 3,930 3,934 3,935 3,930
Nursery schools - Part-time 1,894 1,902 1,890 1,900 1,866
Nursery schools - Total 5,837 5,832 5,824 5,835 5,796
Nursery class in primary school - Full-time 5,146 5,194 5,163 5,121 5,188
Nursery class in primary school - Part-time 4,377 4,360 4,508 4,512 4,479
Nursery class in primary school - Total [3] 9,523 9,554 9,671 9,633 9,667
Reception 186 168 184 180 151
Primary schools - Years 1-7 172,034 172,863 172,255 171,706 170,793
Preparatory depts in grammar schools - Years 1-7 1,710 1,660 1,601 1,560 1,530
Primary and preparatory depts - Years 1-7 - Total 173,744 174,523 173,856 173,266 172,323
Primary and preparatory depts - Total 183,453 184,245 183,711 183,079 182,141
Secondary (non-grammar) schools - Years 8-12 65,858 67,692 70,506 72,723 74,253
Secondary (non-grammar) schools - Sixth form [4] 11,869 11,685 11,156 11,797 12,341
Secondary (non-grammar) schools - Total 77,727 79,377 81,662 84,520 86,594
Grammar schools - Years 8-12 46,191 46,475 47,074 47,554 48,268
Grammar schools - Sixth form [4] 16,627 16,387 16,349 16,844 17,046
Grammar schools - Total 62,818 62,862 63,423 64,398 65,314
Post-primary schools - Total 140,545 142,239 145,085 148,918 151,908
Special schools [2] 5,735 5,959 6,174 6,403 6,653
Independent schools 604 611 608 625 716
All schools 336,174 338,886 341,402 344,860 347,214
All schools and pre-school education centres 344,128 346,908 349,482 352,324 354,528

Notes:

  1. Voluntary and Private Centres funded under the Pre-school Education Expansion Programme, which began in 1998/99.
  2. The number of pupils in the Hospital School have been removed. Their enrolments are counted against their mainstream school.
  3. Nursery and reception pupils who are enrolled in preparatory departments of grammar schools are not included as they are not funded by the Department
  4. Pupils in sixth form refer to those that are studying level 3 qualifications (i.e. A Level or equivalent).


Section 3: Pupils entitled to free school meals

Background: School milk and meals information

Based on provisional data, approximately 95,000 pupils are entitled to free school meals in 2021/22, which represents 27% of children in funded education (excluding voluntary and private pre-schools; Table 3).

The proportion of pupils that are free school meal entitled has remained the same as last year in primary and preparatory depts (28%). The proportion in post-primary has dropped (25% compared to 27% last year; Table 3).

There are some differences in free school meal entitlement by school type. Special schools have a much higher than average proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals (51%). Non-grammar pupils are also much more likely than grammar school pupils to be entitled to free school meals (34% compared to 13%; Table 3).

Due to a large number of late or incomplete free school meal applications, the EA and the Department agreed there would be an extension to the closing date for free school meal applications to be counted on the census until the 5 November. Verification work is still ongoing, free school meal figures are expected to rise once this process has been completed.

Table 3: Percentage of children entitled to free school meals [1] [4] [5] by type of establishment 2017/18 - 2021/22

Approximately 95,000 pupils (27% of children) are entitled to free school meals

School and management type 2017/18 (%) 2018/19 (%) 2019/20 (%) 2020/21 (%) 2021/22 (%)
Voluntary and private pre-school education centres [1] [2] 10 9 8 8 14
Nursery schools - Full-time 44 46 46 48 50
Nursery schools - Part-time 10 10 9 10 16
Nursery schools - Total [1] [4] [6] 33 34 34 35 39
Nursery class in primary school - Full-time 42 40 38 40 42
Nursery class in primary school - Part-time 11 11 8 9 15
Nursery class in primary school - Total 28 27 24 25 29
Reception 12 14 10 9 12
Primary schools - Years 1-7 31 30 29 29 28
Preparatory depts in grammar schools - Years 1-7 2 2 1 1 1
Primary and preparatory depts - Years 1-7 - Total 30 30 29 29 28
Primary and preparatory depts - Total 30 30 28 28 28
Secondary (non grammar) schools 39 39 38 37 34
Grammar schools 14 14 14 14 13
Post-primary schools - Total 28 28 27 27 25
Special schools 51 52 52 51 51
All schools [3] 30 29 28 28 27
All schools and pre-school education centres 30 29 28 28 27

Notes:

  1. For pupils and children in the nursery sector and in voluntary and private pre-school centres, where free school meal entitlement data is not appropriate, the number of pupils with (a) parent(s) in receipt of Job Seeker’s allowance or Income Support is used instead of free school meal entitlement.
  2. Voluntary and Private centres funded under the Pre-school Education Expansion Programme, which began in 1998/99.
  3. Free school meal entitlement data is not validated for independent schools therefore has not been included.
  4. Eligibility under the Working Tax Credit free school meal criterion was introduced on a phased basis with Nursery, Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 pupils eligible from September 2010 and Key Stage 2 pupils eligible from September 2011. It was extended to post-primary pupils from September 2014.
  5. These figures may be subject to revision once the verification process with the EA has been completed. Free school meal figures, specifically, are expected to rise. This is especially due to circumstances relating to a large number of late or incomplete free school meals applications.
  6. Nursery and reception pupils who are enrolled in prep. departments of grammar schools have not been included as they are not funded by the Department.


Contact information


Notes for readers

National Statistics

  1. The United Kingdom Statistics Authority has designated these statistics as National Statistics, in accordance with the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 and signifying compliance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.
    Designation can be broadly interpreted to mean that the statistics:
  • meet identified user needs;
  • are well explained and readily accessible;
  • are produced according to sound methods, and
  • are managed impartially and objectively in the public interest.
    Once statistics have been designated as National Statistics it is a statutory requirement that the Code of Practice shall continue to be observed.

  1. For general enquiries about National Statistics, contact the National Statistics Public Enquiry Service on 0845 601 3034
    minicom: 01633 812399
    E-mail:
    Fax: 01633 652747
    Letters: Customer Contact Centre, Office for National Statistics, Rm 1.101, Government Buildings, Cardiff Road, Newport, NP10 8XG

  2. You can also find National Statistics on the Internet.

School Census

  1. The statistics in this release have been derived from the annual School Census; details about the survey may be found at School enrolments data collection and validation publication. For voluntary and private pre-school centres, and nursery schools, the census consists of a summary return made on an electronic application; for post-primary, primary and special schools, it consists of a return comprising individual pupil records, made by Electronic Data Interchange.

  2. The 2021/22 figures in this statistical release are based on information as at 8 October 2021. They may be subject to minor revision and these will be notified in accordance with our revisions policy, see Statistical Revisions documentation (.pdf file, size: 25.4 kB).

  3. A further statistical release, containing finalised figures and a more detailed set of tables, will be published in February 2022.

  4. The figures for nursery classes relate to approved nursery classes in primary schools. The figures for reception refer to pupils who were below compulsory school age at 1 July 2021, who were admitted to a reception class or group in primary school following their fourth birthday. Schools may admit reception pupils throughout the year, but only those who have been admitted by 31 October are counted in the school census.

  5. Further statistics relating to school numbers and enrolments can be found on the DE website under the Facts and Figures section. The DE website presents figures taken from the school census, summarised at regional, and school level. Statistics on pupil attendance, pupil: teacher ratios, school leaver destinations and qualifications may also be accessed via the website.

  6. Information on enrolments collected via the school census process are used to inform DE policy and procedures (particularly School Funding), as well as to inform Education Authority of detailed information useful to them in their auditing processes.

School types

  1. Definitions of school management types are as follows:
  • Controlled: Schools are managed and funded by the Education Authority through Boards of Governors (BoG). Primary and post-primary school BoGs consist of representatives of transferors - mainly the Protestant churches - along with representatives of parents, teachers and the EA.
  • Voluntary: Self-governing schools, generally of long standing, originally established to provide an academic education at post primary level on a fee paying basis. Now funded by the Department and managed by Boards of Governors. The BoGs are constituted in accordance with each school’s scheme of management - usually representatives of foundation governors, parents, teachers and in most cases, DE or EA representatives. The BoGs is the employing authority and is responsible for the employment of all staff in its school.
  • Maintained schools are managed by Boards of Governors which consist of members nominated by trustees, along with representatives of parents, teachers and the Education Authority. These schools are funded through the EA for their running costs and directly by the Department in relation to capital building works. For Catholic Maintained schools, the Employing Authority is the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS). Other maintained schools are any schools that are not Catholic maintained. They are typically, but not exclusively, Irish medium schools.
  • Controlled integrated: Controlled schools which have acquired integrated status.
  • Grant Maintained integrated: Self-governing schools with integrated education status, funded directly by the Department of Education and managed by Boards of Governors. The BoG is the employing authority and responsible for employing staff.
  1. Definitions of other school types are as follows
  • A special school is a controlled or voluntary school which is specially organised to provide education for pupils with special needs and is recognised by the DE as a special school.
  • An independent school is a school at which full-time education is provided for pupils aged from four to 16 and is not grant aided. These schools set their own curriculum and admissions policies and are funded by fees paid by parents and income from investments. Each independent school must be registered with DE and is inspected regularly by ETI.

Further enquiries

Request for further information should be addressed to:-

Gemma Thomson
Leonie Robinson

Analytical Services Unit
Department of Education
Rathgael House
Balloo Road
Rathgill
BANGOR
Co. Down
BT19 7PR

Telephone (028) 9127 9707/ (028) 9127 9992
E-mail:

Special analyses of the school census can be undertaken on request.

Press enquiries should be made to the Department’s Press Office at the same address, telephone (028) 9127 9772.

Feedback on this publication can be provided directly to Gemma Thomson (contact details above) or contact the Analytical Services Unit

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