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
46,758	Number of pupils	2011/12	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
28,931	Number of pupils	2017/18	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
202,492 [t]	Number of pupils	2021/22	Primary schools	Total
117,609	Number of pupils	2011/12	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
28,716	Number of pupils	2013/14	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
51,480	Number of pupils	2017/18	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
125,947	Number of pupils	2020/21	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
126,828	Number of pupils	2021/22	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
126,630	Number of pupils	2023/24	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
192,378 [t]	Number of pupils	2011/12	Primary schools	Total
28,011	Number of pupils	2011/12	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
50,276	Number of pupils	2013/14	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
47,250	Number of pupils	2024/25	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
198,766 [t]	Number of pupils	2013/14	Primary schools	Total
51,315	Number of pupils	2016/17	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
51,426	Number of pupils	2020/21	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
117,038	Number of pupils	2012/13	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
51,458	Number of pupils	2021/22	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
126,154	Number of pupils	2022/23	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
49,569	Number of pupils	2023/24	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
20,789	Number of pupils	2024/25	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
193,920 [t]	Number of pupils	2024/25	Primary schools	Total
127,506	Number of pupils	2018/19	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
26,288	Number of pupils	2005/06	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
25,764	Number of pupils	2004/05	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
142,642	Number of pupils	2003/04	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
125,333	Number of pupils	2019/20	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
52,750	Number of pupils	2019/20	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
29,766	Number of pupils	2014/15	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
205,086 [t]	Number of pupils	2019/20	Primary schools	Total
27,776	Number of pupils	2012/13	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
204,940 [t]	Number of pupils	2015/16	Primary schools	Total
52,161	Number of pupils	2018/19	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
26,338	Number of pupils	2020/21	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
49,110	Number of pupils	2012/13	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
25,483	Number of pupils	2006/07	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
29,580	Number of pupils	2016/17	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
24,206	Number of pupils	2021/22	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
27,947	Number of pupils	2018/19	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
50,962	Number of pupils	2022/23	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
200,394 [t]	Number of pupils	2022/23	Primary schools	Total
21,675	Number of pupils	2023/24	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
197,874 [t]	Number of pupils	2023/24	Primary schools	Total
128,217	Number of pupils	2017/18	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
125,881	Number of pupils	2024/25	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
119,774	Number of pupils	2013/14	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
121,540	Number of pupils	2014/15	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
25,001	Number of pupils	2007/08	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
46,672	Number of pupils	2007/08	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
127,019	Number of pupils	2007/08	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
198,692 [t]	Number of pupils	2007/08	Primary schools	Total
47,447	Number of pupils	2005/06	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
131,727	Number of pupils	2005/06	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
207,614 [t]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Primary schools	Total
205,462 [t]	Number of pupils	2005/06	Primary schools	Total
50,381	Number of pupils	2014/15	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
45,274	Number of pupils	2004/05	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
27,003	Number of pupils	2019/20	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
138,296	Number of pupils	2004/05	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
24,734	Number of pupils	2008/09	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
45,270	Number of pupils	2008/09	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
124,325	Number of pupils	2008/09	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
194,329 [t]	Number of pupils	2008/09	Primary schools	Total
209,334 [t]	Number of pupils	2004/05	Primary schools	Total
193,924 [t]	Number of pupils	2012/13	Primary schools	Total
201,687 [t]	Number of pupils	2014/15	Primary schools	Total
212,199 [t]	Number of pupils	2003/04	Primary schools	Total
123,861	Number of pupils	2015/16	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
51,520	Number of pupils	2015/16	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
29,559	Number of pupils	2015/16	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
27,318	Number of pupils	2003/04	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
25,004	Number of pupils	2009/10	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
46,142	Number of pupils	2009/10	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
120,878	Number of pupils	2009/10	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
192,024 [t]	Number of pupils	2009/10	Primary schools	Total
48,438	Number of pupils	2006/07	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
128,357	Number of pupils	2006/07	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
203,711 [t]	Number of pupils	2020/21	Primary schools	Total
202,278 [t]	Number of pupils	2006/07	Primary schools	Total
125,869	Number of pupils	2016/17	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
42,239	Number of pupils	2003/04	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
23,278	Number of pupils	2022/23	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
206,764 [t]	Number of pupils	2016/17	Primary schools	Total
26,278	Number of pupils	2010/11	Primary schools	Fluent in Welsh
46,802	Number of pupils	2010/11	Primary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
118,388	Number of pupils	2010/11	Primary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
191,468 [t]	Number of pupils	2010/11	Primary schools	Total
208,628 [t]	Number of pupils	2017/18	Primary schools	Total
6,499	Number of pupils	2019/20	Middle schools	Fluent in Welsh
16,138 [t]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Middle schools	Total
7,219	Number of pupils	2019/20	Middle schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
5,014	Number of pupils	2018/19	Middle schools	Fluent in Welsh
5,739	Number of pupils	2018/19	Middle schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
3,274 [t]	Number of pupils	2013/14	Middle schools	Total
5,385	Number of pupils	2018/19	Middle schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
5,298	Number of pupils	2019/20	Middle schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
4,661	Number of pupils	2017/18	Middle schools	Fluent in Welsh
4,919	Number of pupils	2017/18	Middle schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
1,529	Number of pupils	2017/18	Middle schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
1,019	Number of pupils	2013/14	Middle schools	Fluent in Welsh

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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.