In the latest data from NHS Digital, 37% of children aged 11-15 had ever drank alcohol, down from 44% in 2016.
Although the question changed in 2016, so data cannot be accurately compared to before, the general trend clearly shows a decline in drinking from the early 2000s.
Unsurprisingly the rate increases with age, with 62% of 15 year olds having drank before, compared to 15% of 11 year olds.
Far fewer children had drank in the past week, with 2% of 11 year olds, up to 16% of 15 year olds.
White pupils were most likely to have had an alcoholic drink in the last week, with 10% having done so. This compares to 6% for mixed ethnicity pupils, and 2% or less for Asian, Black and other ethnic groups.
The characteristics most associated with drinking were: uses e-cigarettes, age, and ethnicity.
26% of pupils who drank in the last week were estimated to have drunk 15 or more units. This increased from 19% of 11-13 year olds, to 31% of 15 year olds.
Pupils who drank in the last week were most likely to have drunk spirits (61%) or beer/lager (56%).
Boys were most likely to have drunk beer/lager than other drinks (75%), with girls most likely to have drunk spirits (75%).
7% of pupils said they had been drunk in the last four weeks, including 5% of pupils who had been drunk once or twice, and 2% more often. This is similar to 2021.
1% of 11/12 year olds, & 3% of 13 year olds had been drunk in the last four weeks, compared to 19% of 15 year olds.
