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

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

Data values	Data description	Year	Sector	Need
55	Number of pupils	2020/21	Special schools	Multi-sensory impairment
1,540	Number of pupils	2020/21	Special schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
1,000	Number of pupils	2020/21	Special schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
11,385	Number of pupils	2020/21	All schools	Moderate learning difficulties
30,655	Number of pupils	2020/21	All schools	General learning difficulties
2,745	Number of pupils	2020/21	All schools	Severe learning difficulties
850	Number of pupils	2020/21	All schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
5,740	Number of pupils	2020/21	All schools	Dyslexia
410	Number of pupils	2020/21	All schools	Dyscalculia
885	Number of pupils	2020/21	All schools	Dyspraxia
3,155	Number of pupils	2020/21	All schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
9,820	Number of pupils	2020/21	All schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
6,890	Number of pupils	2020/21	All schools	Physical and medical difficulties
2,650	Number of pupils	2020/21	All schools	Hearing impairment
1,265	Number of pupils	2020/21	All schools	Visual impairment
230	Number of pupils	2020/21	All schools	Multi-sensory impairment
24,480	Number of pupils	2020/21	All schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
24,405	Number of pupils	2020/21	All schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
10	Number of pupils	2021/22	Nursery schools	Moderate learning difficulties
[c]	Number of pupils	2021/22	Nursery schools	General learning difficulties
[c]	Number of pupils	2021/22	Nursery schools	Severe learning difficulties
15	Number of pupils	2021/22	Nursery schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
10	Number of pupils	2021/22	Nursery schools	Physical and medical difficulties
[c]	Number of pupils	2021/22	Nursery schools	Visual impairment
85	Number of pupils	2021/22	Nursery schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
25	Number of pupils	2021/22	Nursery schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
6,035	Number of pupils	2021/22	Primary schools	Moderate learning difficulties
6,695	Number of pupils	2021/22	Primary schools	General learning difficulties
690	Number of pupils	2021/22	Primary schools	Severe learning difficulties
265	Number of pupils	2021/22	Primary schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
1,330	Number of pupils	2021/22	Primary schools	Dyslexia
100	Number of pupils	2021/22	Primary schools	Dyscalculia
210	Number of pupils	2021/22	Primary schools	Dyspraxia
790	Number of pupils	2021/22	Primary schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
3,720	Number of pupils	2021/22	Primary schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
2,625	Number of pupils	2021/22	Primary schools	Physical and medical difficulties
915	Number of pupils	2021/22	Primary schools	Hearing impairment
430	Number of pupils	2021/22	Primary schools	Visual impairment
110	Number of pupils	2021/22	Primary schools	Multi-sensory impairment
15,230	Number of pupils	2021/22	Primary schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
10,465	Number of pupils	2021/22	Primary schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
380	Number of pupils	2021/22	Middle schools	Moderate learning difficulties
620	Number of pupils	2021/22	Middle schools	General learning difficulties
50	Number of pupils	2021/22	Middle schools	Severe learning difficulties
15	Number of pupils	2021/22	Middle schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
305	Number of pupils	2021/22	Middle schools	Dyslexia
15	Number of pupils	2021/22	Middle schools	Dyscalculia
35	Number of pupils	2021/22	Middle schools	Dyspraxia
105	Number of pupils	2021/22	Middle schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
345	Number of pupils	2021/22	Middle schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
215	Number of pupils	2021/22	Middle schools	Physical and medical difficulties
100	Number of pupils	2021/22	Middle schools	Hearing impairment
35	Number of pupils	2021/22	Middle schools	Visual impairment
5	Number of pupils	2021/22	Middle schools	Multi-sensory impairment
700	Number of pupils	2021/22	Middle schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
710	Number of pupils	2021/22	Middle schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
5,255	Number of pupils	2021/22	Secondary schools	Moderate learning difficulties
6,360	Number of pupils	2021/22	Secondary schools	General learning difficulties
380	Number of pupils	2021/22	Secondary schools	Severe learning difficulties
70	Number of pupils	2021/22	Secondary schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
3,835	Number of pupils	2021/22	Secondary schools	Dyslexia
245	Number of pupils	2021/22	Secondary schools	Dyscalculia
465	Number of pupils	2021/22	Secondary schools	Dyspraxia
1,705	Number of pupils	2021/22	Secondary schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
3,485	Number of pupils	2021/22	Secondary schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
2,085	Number of pupils	2021/22	Secondary schools	Physical and medical difficulties
1,030	Number of pupils	2021/22	Secondary schools	Hearing impairment
470	Number of pupils	2021/22	Secondary schools	Visual impairment
60	Number of pupils	2021/22	Secondary schools	Multi-sensory impairment
4,725	Number of pupils	2021/22	Secondary schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
9,405	Number of pupils	2021/22	Secondary schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
610	Number of pupils	2021/22	Special schools	Moderate learning difficulties
175	Number of pupils	2021/22	Special schools	General learning difficulties
1,700	Number of pupils	2021/22	Special schools	Severe learning difficulties
485	Number of pupils	2021/22	Special schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
25	Number of pupils	2021/22	Special schools	Dyslexia
[c]	Number of pupils	2021/22	Special schools	Dyscalculia
20	Number of pupils	2021/22	Special schools	Dyspraxia
235	Number of pupils	2021/22	Special schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
2,430	Number of pupils	2021/22	Special schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
905	Number of pupils	2021/22	Special schools	Physical and medical difficulties
135	Number of pupils	2021/22	Special schools	Hearing impairment
165	Number of pupils	2021/22	Special schools	Visual impairment
55	Number of pupils	2021/22	Special schools	Multi-sensory impairment
1,655	Number of pupils	2021/22	Special schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
1,075	Number of pupils	2021/22	Special schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
12,285	Number of pupils	2021/22	All schools	Moderate learning difficulties
13,855	Number of pupils	2021/22	All schools	General learning difficulties
2,825	Number of pupils	2021/22	All schools	Severe learning difficulties
835	Number of pupils	2021/22	All schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
5,495	Number of pupils	2021/22	All schools	Dyslexia
365	Number of pupils	2021/22	All schools	Dyscalculia
730	Number of pupils	2021/22	All schools	Dyspraxia
2,835	Number of pupils	2021/22	All schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
9,995	Number of pupils	2021/22	All schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
5,835	Number of pupils	2021/22	All schools	Physical and medical difficulties
2,185	Number of pupils	2021/22	All schools	Hearing impairment
1,100	Number of pupils	2021/22	All schools	Visual impairment
230	Number of pupils	2021/22	All schools	Multi-sensory impairment
22,400	Number of pupils	2021/22	All schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties

Showing 401 to 500 of 734 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.