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

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

Data values	Data description	Year	Provision	Need
920	Number of pupils	2016/17	Statemented	General learning difficulties
2,320	Number of pupils	2016/17	Statemented	Severe learning difficulties
705	Number of pupils	2016/17	Statemented	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
380	Number of pupils	2016/17	Statemented	Dyslexia
20	Number of pupils	2016/17	Statemented	Dyscalculia
135	Number of pupils	2016/17	Statemented	Dyspraxia
570	Number of pupils	2016/17	Statemented	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
3,895	Number of pupils	2016/17	Statemented	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
2,155	Number of pupils	2016/17	Statemented	Physical and medical difficulties
615	Number of pupils	2016/17	Statemented	Hearing impairment
445	Number of pupils	2016/17	Statemented	Visual impairment
90	Number of pupils	2016/17	Statemented	Multi-sensory impairment
4,010	Number of pupils	2016/17	Statemented	Speech, language and communication difficulties
2,590	Number of pupils	2016/17	Statemented	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
12,170	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action	Moderate learning difficulties
27,280	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action	General learning difficulties
65	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action	Severe learning difficulties
20	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
4,945	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action	Dyslexia
470	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action	Dyscalculia
375	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action	Dyspraxia
680	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
640	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
1,770	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action	Physical and medical difficulties
785	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action	Hearing impairment
295	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action	Visual impairment
20	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action	Multi-sensory impairment
8,615	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action	Speech, language and communication difficulties
9,750	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
4,950	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action Plus	Moderate learning difficulties
7,985	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action Plus	General learning difficulties
520	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action Plus	Severe learning difficulties
175	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action Plus	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
3,220	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action Plus	Dyslexia
250	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action Plus	Dyscalculia
505	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action Plus	Dyspraxia
1,345	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action Plus	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
2,385	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action Plus	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
3,110	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action Plus	Physical and medical difficulties
1,715	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action Plus	Hearing impairment
700	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action Plus	Visual impairment
45	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action Plus	Multi-sensory impairment
10,725	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action Plus	Speech, language and communication difficulties
10,330	Number of pupils	2016/17	School Action Plus	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
19,430	Number of pupils	2016/17	All Provisions	Moderate learning difficulties
36,180	Number of pupils	2016/17	All Provisions	General learning difficulties
2,905	Number of pupils	2016/17	All Provisions	Severe learning difficulties
900	Number of pupils	2016/17	All Provisions	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
8,545	Number of pupils	2016/17	All Provisions	Dyslexia
740	Number of pupils	2016/17	All Provisions	Dyscalculia
1,015	Number of pupils	2016/17	All Provisions	Dyspraxia
2,595	Number of pupils	2016/17	All Provisions	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
6,920	Number of pupils	2016/17	All Provisions	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
7,035	Number of pupils	2016/17	All Provisions	Physical and medical difficulties
3,115	Number of pupils	2016/17	All Provisions	Hearing impairment
1,440	Number of pupils	2016/17	All Provisions	Visual impairment
155	Number of pupils	2016/17	All Provisions	Multi-sensory impairment
23,345	Number of pupils	2016/17	All Provisions	Speech, language and communication difficulties
22,670	Number of pupils	2016/17	All Provisions	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
2,155	Number of pupils	2017/18	Statemented	Moderate learning difficulties
1,005	Number of pupils	2017/18	Statemented	General learning difficulties
2,290	Number of pupils	2017/18	Statemented	Severe learning difficulties
685	Number of pupils	2017/18	Statemented	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
325	Number of pupils	2017/18	Statemented	Dyslexia
20	Number of pupils	2017/18	Statemented	Dyscalculia
140	Number of pupils	2017/18	Statemented	Dyspraxia
660	Number of pupils	2017/18	Statemented	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
4,250	Number of pupils	2017/18	Statemented	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
2,170	Number of pupils	2017/18	Statemented	Physical and medical difficulties
610	Number of pupils	2017/18	Statemented	Hearing impairment
450	Number of pupils	2017/18	Statemented	Visual impairment
105	Number of pupils	2017/18	Statemented	Multi-sensory impairment
4,170	Number of pupils	2017/18	Statemented	Speech, language and communication difficulties
2,765	Number of pupils	2017/18	Statemented	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
10,200	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action	Moderate learning difficulties
27,125	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action	General learning difficulties
60	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action	Severe learning difficulties
25	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
4,655	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action	Dyslexia
400	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action	Dyscalculia
375	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action	Dyspraxia
715	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
755	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
1,855	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action	Physical and medical difficulties
800	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action	Hearing impairment
310	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action	Visual impairment
20	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action	Multi-sensory impairment
8,710	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action	Speech, language and communication difficulties
10,445	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
4,525	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action Plus	Moderate learning difficulties
8,285	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action Plus	General learning difficulties
490	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action Plus	Severe learning difficulties
145	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action Plus	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
3,110	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action Plus	Dyslexia
235	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action Plus	Dyscalculia
520	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action Plus	Dyspraxia
1,465	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action Plus	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
2,650	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action Plus	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
3,200	Number of pupils	2017/18	School Action Plus	Physical and medical difficulties
2,310	Number of pupils	2016/17	Statemented	Moderate learning difficulties

Showing 1 to 100 of 641 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.