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

Showing 1 to 100 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.