Reports of additional learning or special educational needs in maintained schools by local authority, type of need and year

Standard shorthand is used in this table: [c] = confidential information, [t] = total.

Data values	Data description	Year	Local Authority	Need
24,405 [t]	Number of pupils	2020/21	Wales	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
5,255 [t]	Number of pupils	2022/23	Wales	Physical and medical difficulties
5,740 [t]	Number of pupils	2020/21	Wales	Dyslexia
24,480 [t]	Number of pupils	2020/21	Wales	Speech, language and communication difficulties
1,100 [t]	Number of pupils	2021/22	Wales	Visual impairment
10,560 [t]	Number of pupils	2022/23	Wales	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
940 [t]	Number of pupils	2019/20	Wales	Dyspraxia
850 [t]	Number of pupils	2020/21	Wales	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
1,265 [t]	Number of pupils	2020/21	Wales	Visual impairment
230 [t]	Number of pupils	2020/21	Wales	Multi-sensory impairment
5,495 [t]	Number of pupils	2021/22	Wales	Dyslexia
2,185 [t]	Number of pupils	2021/22	Wales	Hearing impairment
3,045 [t]	Number of pupils	2022/23	Wales	Severe learning difficulties
2,815 [t]	Number of pupils	2022/23	Wales	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
835 [t]	Number of pupils	2019/20	Wales	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
480 [t]	Number of pupils	2019/20	Wales	Dyscalculia
1,355 [t]	Number of pupils	2019/20	Wales	Visual impairment
2,745 [t]	Number of pupils	2020/21	Wales	Severe learning difficulties
885 [t]	Number of pupils	2020/21	Wales	Dyspraxia
2,650 [t]	Number of pupils	2020/21	Wales	Hearing impairment
2,990 [t]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Wales	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
1,010 [t]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Wales	Dyspraxia
2,825 [t]	Number of pupils	2021/22	Wales	Severe learning difficulties
835 [t]	Number of pupils	2021/22	Wales	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
730 [t]	Number of pupils	2021/22	Wales	Dyspraxia
5,835 [t]	Number of pupils	2021/22	Wales	Physical and medical difficulties
22,400 [t]	Number of pupils	2021/22	Wales	Speech, language and communication difficulties
15,150 [t]	Number of pupils	2022/23	Wales	Moderate learning difficulties
5,045 [t]	Number of pupils	2022/23	Wales	Dyslexia
615 [t]	Number of pupils	2022/23	Wales	Dyspraxia
12,600 [t]	Number of pupils	2019/20	Wales	Moderate learning difficulties
2,880 [t]	Number of pupils	2019/20	Wales	Severe learning difficulties
6,390 [t]	Number of pupils	2019/20	Wales	Dyslexia
3,115 [t]	Number of pupils	2016/17	Wales	Hearing impairment
9,095 [t]	Number of pupils	2019/20	Wales	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
2,915 [t]	Number of pupils	2019/20	Wales	Hearing impairment
24,375 [t]	Number of pupils	2019/20	Wales	Speech, language and communication difficulties
30,655 [t]	Number of pupils	2020/21	Wales	General learning difficulties
8,400 [t]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Wales	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
410 [t]	Number of pupils	2020/21	Wales	Dyscalculia
3,155 [t]	Number of pupils	2020/21	Wales	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
6,890 [t]	Number of pupils	2020/21	Wales	Physical and medical difficulties
835 [t]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Wales	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
180 [t]	Number of pupils	2017/18	Wales	Multi-sensory impairment
635 [t]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Wales	Dyscalculia
3,120 [t]	Number of pupils	2017/18	Wales	Hearing impairment
25,005 [t]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Wales	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
13,855 [t]	Number of pupils	2021/22	Wales	General learning difficulties
24,650 [t]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Wales	Speech, language and communication difficulties
190 [t]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Wales	Multi-sensory impairment
365 [t]	Number of pupils	2021/22	Wales	Dyscalculia
2,905 [t]	Number of pupils	2016/17	Wales	Severe learning difficulties
2,835 [t]	Number of pupils	2021/22	Wales	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
9,995 [t]	Number of pupils	2021/22	Wales	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
8,545 [t]	Number of pupils	2016/17	Wales	Dyslexia
230 [t]	Number of pupils	2021/22	Wales	Multi-sensory impairment
21,680 [t]	Number of pupils	2021/22	Wales	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
2,595 [t]	Number of pupils	2016/17	Wales	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
900 [t]	Number of pupils	2022/23	Wales	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
1,015 [t]	Number of pupils	2016/17	Wales	Dyspraxia
740 [t]	Number of pupils	2016/17	Wales	Dyscalculia
400 [t]	Number of pupils	2022/23	Wales	Dyscalculia
2,845 [t]	Number of pupils	2017/18	Wales	Severe learning difficulties
7,285 [t]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Wales	Physical and medical difficulties
33,170 [t]	Number of pupils	2019/20	Wales	General learning difficulties
155 [t]	Number of pupils	2016/17	Wales	Multi-sensory impairment
24,415 [t]	Number of pupils	2017/18	Wales	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
1,440 [t]	Number of pupils	2016/17	Wales	Visual impairment
36,180 [t]	Number of pupils	2016/17	Wales	General learning difficulties
7,035 [t]	Number of pupils	2016/17	Wales	Physical and medical difficulties
36,415 [t]	Number of pupils	2017/18	Wales	General learning difficulties
3,110 [t]	Number of pupils	2019/20	Wales	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
23,345 [t]	Number of pupils	2016/17	Wales	Speech, language and communication difficulties
7,180 [t]	Number of pupils	2019/20	Wales	Physical and medical difficulties
16,875 [t]	Number of pupils	2017/18	Wales	Moderate learning difficulties
195 [t]	Number of pupils	2019/20	Wales	Multi-sensory impairment
24,920 [t]	Number of pupils	2019/20	Wales	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
11,385 [t]	Number of pupils	2020/21	Wales	Moderate learning difficulties
8,090 [t]	Number of pupils	2017/18	Wales	Dyslexia
2,930 [t]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Wales	Severe learning difficulties
24,165 [t]	Number of pupils	2017/18	Wales	Speech, language and communication difficulties
19,430 [t]	Number of pupils	2016/17	Wales	Moderate learning difficulties
855 [t]	Number of pupils	2017/18	Wales	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
36,390 [t]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Wales	General learning difficulties
14,760 [t]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Wales	Moderate learning difficulties
9,820 [t]	Number of pupils	2020/21	Wales	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
7,655 [t]	Number of pupils	2017/18	Wales	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
655 [t]	Number of pupils	2017/18	Wales	Dyscalculia
2,840 [t]	Number of pupils	2017/18	Wales	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
1,035 [t]	Number of pupils	2017/18	Wales	Dyspraxia
1,470 [t]	Number of pupils	2017/18	Wales	Visual impairment
7,215 [t]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Wales	Dyslexia
22,670 [t]	Number of pupils	2016/17	Wales	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
7,225 [t]	Number of pupils	2017/18	Wales	Physical and medical difficulties
3,085 [t]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Wales	Hearing impairment
900 [t]	Number of pupils	2016/17	Wales	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
12,285 [t]	Number of pupils	2021/22	Wales	Moderate learning difficulties
6,920 [t]	Number of pupils	2016/17	Wales	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
1,445 [t]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Wales	Visual impairment
1,790 [t]	Number of pupils	2022/23	Wales	Hearing impairment

Showing 1 to 100 of 3,030 rows

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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 2016 to August 2025

Data notes

• Rounding applied:

  Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.

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.