Pupils in maintained schools aged 5 or over, ability to speak Welsh as assessed by parents, by sector, category and year (primary, middle and secondary schools)

Standard shorthand is used in this table: [t] = total.

Data values	Data description	Year	Sector	Category
26,288	Number of pupils	2005/06	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
58,110	Number of pupils	2009/10	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
64,317	Number of pupils	2020/21	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
57,837	Number of pupils	2024/25	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
32,319	Number of pupils	2012/13	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
33,318	Number of pupils	2006/07	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
63,728	Number of pupils	2018/19	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
30,900	Number of pupils	2020/21	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
29,112	Number of pupils	2022/23	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
28,177	Number of pupils	2024/25	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
59,571	Number of pupils	2023/24	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
9,007	Number of pupils	2023/24	Middle schools	Fluent in Welsh
62,347	Number of pupils	2021/22	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
1,086	Number of pupils	2012/13	Middle schools	Fluent in Welsh
29,580	Number of pupils	2016/17	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
30,767	Number of pupils	2018/19	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
27,003	Number of pupils	2019/20	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
7,079	Number of pupils	2020/21	Middle schools	Fluent in Welsh
30,912	Number of pupils	2021/22	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
8,879	Number of pupils	2022/23	Middle schools	Fluent in Welsh
21,675	Number of pupils	2023/24	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
8,871	Number of pupils	2024/25	Middle schools	Fluent in Welsh
25,001	Number of pupils	2007/08	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
61,181	Number of pupils	2012/13	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
28,716	Number of pupils	2013/14	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
59,504	Number of pupils	2010/11	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
58,801	Number of pupils	2006/07	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
2,329	Number of pupils	2015/16	Middle schools	Fluent in Welsh
4,661	Number of pupils	2017/18	Middle schools	Fluent in Welsh
57,410	Number of pupils	2004/05	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
33,112	Number of pupils	2011/12	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
32,140	Number of pupils	2013/14	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
61,875	Number of pupils	2013/14	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
5,014	Number of pupils	2018/19	Middle schools	Fluent in Welsh
61,123	Number of pupils	2011/12	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
31,876	Number of pupils	2014/15	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
30,528	Number of pupils	2019/20	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
26,338	Number of pupils	2020/21	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
24,206	Number of pupils	2021/22	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
7,229	Number of pupils	2021/22	Middle schools	Fluent in Welsh
63,071	Number of pupils	2014/15	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
23,278	Number of pupils	2022/23	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
63,063	Number of pupils	2015/16	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
61,269	Number of pupils	2022/23	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
28,889	Number of pupils	2023/24	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
20,789	Number of pupils	2024/25	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
63,621	Number of pupils	2016/17	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
30,068	Number of pupils	2017/18	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
3,077	Number of pupils	2016/17	Middle schools	Fluent in Welsh
28,011	Number of pupils	2011/12	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
25,764	Number of pupils	2004/05	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
32,193	Number of pupils	2007/08	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
30,964	Number of pupils	2016/17	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
31,175	Number of pupils	2015/16	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
28,931	Number of pupils	2017/18	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
57,194	Number of pupils	2007/08	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
32,222	Number of pupils	2005/06	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
33,226	Number of pupils	2010/11	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
1,019	Number of pupils	2013/14	Middle schools	Fluent in Welsh
24,734	Number of pupils	2008/09	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
29,559	Number of pupils	2015/16	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
26,278	Number of pupils	2010/11	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
27,318	Number of pupils	2003/04	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
32,538	Number of pupils	2008/09	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
58,510	Number of pupils	2005/06	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
27,776	Number of pupils	2012/13	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
31,646	Number of pupils	2004/05	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
57,272	Number of pupils	2008/09	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
63,660	Number of pupils	2017/18	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
27,947	Number of pupils	2018/19	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
58,947	Number of pupils	2003/04	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
25,004	Number of pupils	2009/10	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
25,483	Number of pupils	2006/07	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
29,766	Number of pupils	2014/15	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
6,499	Number of pupils	2019/20	Middle schools	Fluent in Welsh
33,106	Number of pupils	2009/10	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
1,429	Number of pupils	2014/15	Middle schools	Fluent in Welsh
64,030	Number of pupils	2019/20	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
31,629	Number of pupils	2003/04	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
42,239	Number of pupils	2003/04	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
45,270	Number of pupils	2008/09	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
51,480	Number of pupils	2017/18	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
59,465	Number of pupils	2005/06	Secondary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
118,458	Number of pupils	2007/08	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
126,678	Number of pupils	2016/17	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
45,274	Number of pupils	2004/05	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
1,977	Number of pupils	2013/14	Middle schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
4,919	Number of pupils	2017/18	Middle schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
47,447	Number of pupils	2005/06	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
71,786	Number of pupils	2007/08	Secondary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
71,345	Number of pupils	2016/17	Secondary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
46,672	Number of pupils	2007/08	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
125,604	Number of pupils	2012/13	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
46,758	Number of pupils	2011/12	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
50,276	Number of pupils	2013/14	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
54,019	Number of pupils	2003/04	Secondary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
51,315	Number of pupils	2016/17	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
4,018	Number of pupils	2016/17	Middle schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
96,258	Number of pupils	2003/04	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
124,319	Number of pupils	2010/11	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently

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Main information

• Most recent update: 24 September 2025
• Next update expected: July 2026
• Designation: Official statistics
• Data provider: Welsh Government
• Data source: Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC)
• Time period covered: September 2003 to August 2025

Data notes

Overview

• Summary of dataset and variables:

  Data from the annual School Census which collects information on schools, pupils, classes, ethnicity, free school meal eligibility, additional learning needs and special educational needs.

• Data collection or calculation:

  The data in this report is collected by the Welsh Government from local authority maintained schools in a return called the Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC). PLASC is an electronic collection of pupil and school level data. Schools record data on pupils and the school throughout the year in their Management Information System (MIS) software. This data is collated into an electronic PLASC return and submitted to the Welsh Government through DEWI, a secure online data transfer system developed by the Welsh Government. Various stages of automated validation and sense-checking are built into the process to ensure a high quality of data to inform policy making and funding.

• Statistical quality:

  The returns are authorised by headteachers and validated by local authorities.

  The school census date is usually in January. Due to the level of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in January 2022, the 2022 census date was delayed to 15 February 2022. School closures between December 2020 and March 2021 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic meant that the 2021 census date was delayed to 20 April 2021.

  Pupils are eligible for free school meals if their parents or guardians are in receipt of certain means-tested benefits or support payments. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic may have impacted on the quality of this data and may have resulted in over recording of this data in 2020 to 2022. These figures do not include pupils who only receive free school meals due to the universal primary free school meal policy.

• Related reports:
  • Schools' census results

Published by

• Organisation: Welsh Government
• Contact email: school.stats@gov.wales

Metadata

The metadata for this dataset is not included when you download the data. You can download this separately. This contains all the information from the 'About this dataset' tab.