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School Pupils: Ethnicity

In January 2018, 10.6% of pupils attending state-funded schools in Somerset were of a minority ethnic group (that is, with a reported ethnicity other than White-British)

The second largest ethnic group after White British was 'White Other' (which includes White European pupils) accounting for 5.0% of the school population.

Mixed pupils accounted for 2.5% of the population; Asian pupils 0.6%; Black pupils 0.2%; and Chinese pupils 0.2% of the population.

Number of pupils by ethnic group, Somerset, 2018

Ethnic Origin or Background	Number of pupils	% of all pupils
White	65,896	95.0%
White - British*	62,015	89.4%
White - Irish	94	0.1%
Traveller of Irish Heritage	39	0.1%
Gypsy / Roma	269	0.4%
Any other White background	3,479	5.0%
Mixed	1,763	2.5%
White and Black Caribbean	303	0.4%
White and Black African	280	0.4%
White and Asian	575	0.8%
Any other Mixed background	605	0.9%
Asian	418	0.6%
Indian	267	0.4%
Pakistani	27	<0.1%
Bangladeshi	120	0.2%
Any other Asian background	4	<0.1%
Black	172	0.2%
Black - African	153	0.2%
Black - Caribbean	19	<0.1%
Chinese	123	0.2%
Any Other Ethnic Group	241	0.3%
Information Not Yet Obtained	660	1.0%
Refused	90	0.1%
All Pupils	69,363	100.00%

Source: Somerset Schools Census, January 2018 (DfE). *includes 'English' and 'Welsh' ethnicities.

See also:

Ethnicity in Somerset briefing note (based on the 2011 Census)
Detailed Ethnic Group profiles for Somerset (based on the 2011 Census)

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Somerset in 2025 is ranked as 93 out of a total of 153 of Upper Tier English local authorities, up from 92 in 2019. Moving from rank 92 to 93 means the authority is relatively less deprived compared to others, but the difference is very minimal. (Indices of Deprivation 2025).