Pupils in maintained schools aged 5-15 eligible for free school meals by local authority and year

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Standard shorthand is used in this table: [t] = total.

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Data valuesData descriptionYearLocal AuthorityCategory
404,809 [t]Number of pupils2003/04WalesAll pupils
400,078 [t]Number of pupils2004/05WalesAll pupils
394,297 [t]Number of pupils2005/06WalesAll pupils
388,299 [t]Number of pupils2006/07WalesAll pupils
383,065 [t]Number of pupils2022/23WalesAll pupils
382,018 [t]Number of pupils2023/24WalesAll pupils
380,870 [t]Number of pupils2021/22WalesAll pupils
380,474 [t]Number of pupils2007/08WalesAll pupils
379,669 [t]Number of pupils2020/21WalesAll pupils
377,812 [t]Number of pupils2019/20WalesAll pupils
377,409 [t]Number of pupils2024/25WalesAll pupils
375,894 [t]Number of pupils2018/19WalesAll pupils
373,814 [t]Number of pupils2008/09WalesAll pupils
372,445 [t]Number of pupils2017/18WalesAll pupils
369,082 [t]Number of pupils2009/10WalesAll pupils
368,649 [t]Number of pupils2016/17WalesAll pupils
365,732 [t]Number of pupils2010/11WalesAll pupils
364,963 [t]Number of pupils2015/16WalesAll pupils
363,765 [t]Number of pupils2011/12WalesAll pupils
363,000 [t]Number of pupils2014/15WalesAll pupils
362,661 [t]Number of pupils2013/14WalesAll pupils
111,805 [t]Number of pupils2023/24WalesEligible for free school meals or transitionally protected
109,977 [t]Number of pupils2022/23WalesEligible for free school meals or transitionally protected
106,943 [t]Number of pupils2024/25WalesEligible for free school meals or transitionally protected
102,391 [t]Number of pupils2021/22WalesEligible for free school meals or transitionally protected
95,532 [t]Number of pupils2020/21WalesEligible for free school meals or transitionally protected
88,808 [t]Number of pupils2021/22WalesEligible for free school meals
87,095 [t]Number of pupils2020/21WalesEligible for free school meals
85,057 [t]Number of pupils2022/23WalesEligible for free school meals
81,316 [t]Number of pupils2023/24WalesEligible for free school meals
77,073 [t]Number of pupils2003/04WalesEligible for free school meals
76,636 [t]Number of pupils2024/25WalesEligible for free school meals
75,157 [t]Number of pupils2019/20WalesEligible for free school meals
73,587 [t]Number of pupils2004/05WalesEligible for free school meals
72,073 [t]Number of pupils2010/11WalesEligible for free school meals
70,265 [t]Number of pupils2011/12WalesEligible for free school meals
69,791 [t]Number of pupils2009/10WalesEligible for free school meals
69,418 [t]Number of pupils2013/14WalesEligible for free school meals
68,914 [t]Number of pupils2005/06WalesEligible for free school meals
68,674 [t]Number of pupils2018/19WalesEligible for free school meals
68,388 [t]Number of pupils2014/15WalesEligible for free school meals
67,559 [t]Number of pupils2006/07WalesEligible for free school meals
67,040 [t]Number of pupils2015/16WalesEligible for free school meals
66,495 [t]Number of pupils2008/09WalesEligible for free school meals
65,689 [t]Number of pupils2016/17WalesEligible for free school meals
64,882 [t]Number of pupils2017/18WalesEligible for free school meals
64,604 [t]Number of pupils2007/08WalesEligible for free school meals
45,847Number of pupils2023/24CardiffAll pupils
45,822Number of pupils2022/23CardiffAll pupils
45,393Number of pupils2024/25CardiffAll pupils
45,288Number of pupils2021/22CardiffAll pupils
44,719Number of pupils2020/21CardiffAll pupils
44,023Number of pupils2019/20CardiffAll pupils
43,368Number of pupils2018/19CardiffAll pupils
42,879Number of pupils2017/18CardiffAll pupils
42,118Number of pupils2016/17CardiffAll pupils
41,849Number of pupils2003/04CardiffAll pupils
41,409Number of pupils2015/16CardiffAll pupils
41,136Number of pupils2004/05CardiffAll pupils
40,736Number of pupils2014/15CardiffAll pupils
40,461Number of pupils2005/06CardiffAll pupils
40,161Number of pupils2013/14CardiffAll pupils
39,970Number of pupils2006/07CardiffAll pupils
39,379Number of pupils2007/08CardiffAll pupils
39,023Number of pupils2011/12CardiffAll pupils
38,966Number of pupils2008/09CardiffAll pupils
38,790Number of pupils2010/11CardiffAll pupils
38,764Number of pupils2009/10CardiffAll pupils
33,836Number of pupils2003/04Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
33,345Number of pupils2004/05Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
32,669Number of pupils2005/06Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
31,910Number of pupils2006/07Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
31,066Number of pupils2021/22Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
31,040Number of pupils2007/08Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
31,035Number of pupils2020/21Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
30,982Number of pupils2022/23Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
30,909Number of pupils2023/24Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
30,890Number of pupils2019/20Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
30,823Number of pupils2018/19Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
30,731Number of pupils2008/09Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
30,480Number of pupils2024/25Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
30,441Number of pupils2017/18Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
30,141Number of pupils2009/10Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
30,042Number of pupils2016/17Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
29,906Number of pupils2003/04SwanseaAll pupils
29,849Number of pupils2010/11Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
29,684Number of pupils2011/12Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
29,554Number of pupils2004/05SwanseaAll pupils
29,535Number of pupils2023/24SwanseaAll pupils
29,511Number of pupils2015/16Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
29,433Number of pupils2024/25SwanseaAll pupils
29,358Number of pupils2014/15Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
29,308Number of pupils2013/14Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
29,279Number of pupils2022/23SwanseaAll pupils
29,217Number of pupils2005/06SwanseaAll pupils
28,827Number of pupils2006/07SwanseaAll pupils
28,786Number of pupils2021/22SwanseaAll pupils
28,704Number of pupils2018/19SwanseaAll pupils
28,658Number of pupils2020/21SwanseaAll pupils
28,622Number of pupils2019/20SwanseaAll pupils
Showing 1 to 100 of 1,679 rows
Page 1 of 17

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 schools meal due to the universal primary free school meal policy.

Related reports

Published by

Organisation
Welsh Government
Contact email
school.stats@gov.wales

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