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
206,043	Number of pupils	2023/24	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
58,801	Number of pupils	2006/07	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
136,062	Number of pupils	2019/20	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
132,130	Number of pupils	2023/24	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
423,960 [t]	Number of pupils	2004/05	All schools	Total
61,269	Number of pupils	2022/23	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
63,660	Number of pupils	2017/18	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
64,030	Number of pupils	2019/20	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
202,040	Number of pupils	2021/22	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
59,571	Number of pupils	2023/24	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
388,141 [t]	Number of pupils	2014/15	All schools	Total
125,604	Number of pupils	2012/13	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
208,875	Number of pupils	2010/11	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
111,826	Number of pupils	2006/07	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
126,678	Number of pupils	2016/17	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
389,903 [t]	Number of pupils	2016/17	All schools	Total
391,955 [t]	Number of pupils	2017/18	All schools	Total
394,029 [t]	Number of pupils	2018/19	All schools	Total
64,317	Number of pupils	2020/21	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
134,839	Number of pupils	2021/22	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
205,222	Number of pupils	2022/23	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
399,638 [t]	Number of pupils	2022/23	All schools	Total
388,613 [t]	Number of pupils	2012/13	All schools	Total
200,315	Number of pupils	2014/15	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
129,493	Number of pupils	2024/25	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
427,808 [t]	Number of pupils	2003/04	All schools	Total
412,631 [t]	Number of pupils	2006/07	All schools	Total
392,698 [t]	Number of pupils	2010/11	All schools	Total
124,319	Number of pupils	2010/11	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
59,504	Number of pupils	2010/11	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
199,537	Number of pupils	2015/16	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
63,621	Number of pupils	2016/17	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
199,604	Number of pupils	2016/17	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
253,085	Number of pupils	2005/06	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
61,123	Number of pupils	2011/12	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
199,529	Number of pupils	2017/18	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
63,728	Number of pupils	2018/19	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
197,266	Number of pupils	2018/19	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
195,281	Number of pupils	2019/20	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
395,373 [t]	Number of pupils	2019/20	All schools	Total
134,956	Number of pupils	2020/21	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
62,347	Number of pupils	2021/22	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
399,226 [t]	Number of pupils	2021/22	All schools	Total
133,147	Number of pupils	2022/23	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
267,430	Number of pupils	2004/05	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
242,004	Number of pupils	2006/07	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
61,181	Number of pupils	2012/13	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
201,828	Number of pupils	2012/13	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
124,755	Number of pupils	2014/15	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
63,071	Number of pupils	2014/15	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
397,744 [t]	Number of pupils	2023/24	All schools	Total
57,837	Number of pupils	2024/25	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
205,766	Number of pupils	2024/25	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
393,096 [t]	Number of pupils	2024/25	All schools	Total
61,875	Number of pupils	2013/14	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
57,194	Number of pupils	2007/08	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
118,458	Number of pupils	2007/08	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
229,976	Number of pupils	2007/08	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
405,628 [t]	Number of pupils	2007/08	All schools	Total
126,058	Number of pupils	2013/14	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
388,467 [t]	Number of pupils	2013/14	All schools	Total
200,534	Number of pupils	2013/14	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
63,063	Number of pupils	2015/16	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
125,965	Number of pupils	2015/16	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
58,510	Number of pupils	2005/06	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
388,565 [t]	Number of pupils	2015/16	All schools	Total
106,912	Number of pupils	2005/06	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
57,272	Number of pupils	2008/09	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
119,764	Number of pupils	2008/09	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
222,714	Number of pupils	2008/09	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
399,750 [t]	Number of pupils	2008/09	All schools	Total
418,507 [t]	Number of pupils	2005/06	All schools	Total
58,947	Number of pupils	2003/04	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
128,766	Number of pupils	2017/18	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
123,763	Number of pupils	2011/12	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
390,393 [t]	Number of pupils	2011/12	All schools	Total
205,507	Number of pupils	2011/12	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
133,035	Number of pupils	2018/19	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
96,258	Number of pupils	2003/04	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
58,110	Number of pupils	2009/10	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
121,427	Number of pupils	2009/10	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
216,394	Number of pupils	2009/10	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
395,931 [t]	Number of pupils	2009/10	All schools	Total
57,410	Number of pupils	2004/05	All schools	Fluent in Welsh
199,061	Number of pupils	2020/21	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
398,334 [t]	Number of pupils	2020/21	All schools	Total
99,120	Number of pupils	2004/05	All schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
272,603	Number of pupils	2003/04	All schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
121,358	Number of pupils	2005/06	Secondary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
59,465	Number of pupils	2005/06	Secondary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
31,175	Number of pupils	2015/16	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
32,222	Number of pupils	2005/06	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
206,936 [t]	Number of pupils	2007/08	Secondary schools	Total
129,961	Number of pupils	2003/04	Secondary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
72,214	Number of pupils	2015/16	Secondary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
102,957	Number of pupils	2007/08	Secondary schools	Cannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
71,786	Number of pupils	2007/08	Secondary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
73,805	Number of pupils	2013/14	Secondary schools	Can speak Welsh but not fluently
32,193	Number of pupils	2007/08	Secondary schools	Fluent in Welsh
54,019	Number of pupils	2003/04	Secondary 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.