Number and percentage of children aged 3, recorded on roll at a maintained school in PLASC, living in Flying Start and non-Flying Start areas, by local authority

Standard shorthand is used in this table: [t] = total, [z] = not applicable.

Data values	Data description	Local Authority	Year	Flying start status	PLASC status
4,581 [t]	Number	Wales	2012/13	Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
4,965 [t]	Number	Wales	2012/13	Flying Start	Resident children
26,179 [t]	Number	Wales	2012/13	Non-Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
30,152 [t]	Number	Wales	2012/13	Non-Flying Start	Resident children
30,760 [t]	Number	Wales	2012/13	All areas	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
35,117 [t]	Number	Wales	2012/13	All areas	Resident children
6,682 [t]	Number	Wales	2013/14	Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
7,195 [t]	Number	Wales	2013/14	Flying Start	Resident children
24,958 [t]	Number	Wales	2013/14	Non-Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
28,263 [t]	Number	Wales	2013/14	Non-Flying Start	Resident children
31,640 [t]	Number	Wales	2013/14	All areas	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
35,458 [t]	Number	Wales	2013/14	All areas	Resident children
8,093 [t]	Number	Wales	2014/15	Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
8,668 [t]	Number	Wales	2014/15	Flying Start	Resident children
24,097 [t]	Number	Wales	2014/15	Non-Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
27,525 [t]	Number	Wales	2014/15	Non-Flying Start	Resident children
32,190 [t]	Number	Wales	2014/15	All areas	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
36,193 [t]	Number	Wales	2014/15	All areas	Resident children
8,507 [t]	Number	Wales	2015/16	Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
9,096 [t]	Number	Wales	2015/16	Flying Start	Resident children
23,363 [t]	Number	Wales	2015/16	Non-Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
26,668 [t]	Number	Wales	2015/16	Non-Flying Start	Resident children
31,870 [t]	Number	Wales	2015/16	All areas	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
35,764 [t]	Number	Wales	2015/16	All areas	Resident children
8,298 [t]	Number	Wales	2016/17	Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
8,927 [t]	Number	Wales	2016/17	Flying Start	Resident children
22,817 [t]	Number	Wales	2016/17	Non-Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
26,197 [t]	Number	Wales	2016/17	Non-Flying Start	Resident children
31,115 [t]	Number	Wales	2016/17	All areas	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
35,124 [t]	Number	Wales	2016/17	All areas	Resident children
7,939 [t]	Number	Wales	2017/18	Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
8,544 [t]	Number	Wales	2017/18	Flying Start	Resident children
22,191 [t]	Number	Wales	2017/18	Non-Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
25,793 [t]	Number	Wales	2017/18	Non-Flying Start	Resident children
30,130 [t]	Number	Wales	2017/18	All areas	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
34,337 [t]	Number	Wales	2017/18	All areas	Resident children
8,049 [t]	Number	Wales	2018/19	Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
8,696 [t]	Number	Wales	2018/19	Flying Start	Resident children
22,121 [t]	Number	Wales	2018/19	Non-Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
25,841 [t]	Number	Wales	2018/19	Non-Flying Start	Resident children
30,170 [t]	Number	Wales	2018/19	All areas	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
34,537 [t]	Number	Wales	2018/19	All areas	Resident children
7,512 [t]	Number	Wales	2019/20	Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
8,244 [t]	Number	Wales	2019/20	Flying Start	Resident children
22,028 [t]	Number	Wales	2019/20	Non-Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
25,781 [t]	Number	Wales	2019/20	Non-Flying Start	Resident children
29,540 [t]	Number	Wales	2019/20	All areas	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
34,025 [t]	Number	Wales	2019/20	All areas	Resident children
7,303 [t]	Number	Wales	2020/21	Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
8,064 [t]	Number	Wales	2020/21	Flying Start	Resident children
21,522 [t]	Number	Wales	2020/21	Non-Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
24,783 [t]	Number	Wales	2020/21	Non-Flying Start	Resident children
28,825 [t]	Number	Wales	2020/21	All areas	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
32,847 [t]	Number	Wales	2020/21	All areas	Resident children
7,137 [t]	Number	Wales	2021/22	Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
7,822 [t]	Number	Wales	2021/22	Flying Start	Resident children
21,068 [t]	Number	Wales	2021/22	Non-Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
24,467 [t]	Number	Wales	2021/22	Non-Flying Start	Resident children
28,205 [t]	Number	Wales	2021/22	All areas	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
32,289 [t]	Number	Wales	2021/22	All areas	Resident children
6,872 [t]	Number	Wales	2022/23	Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
7,532 [t]	Number	Wales	2022/23	Flying Start	Resident children
20,363 [t]	Number	Wales	2022/23	Non-Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
23,713 [t]	Number	Wales	2022/23	Non-Flying Start	Resident children
27,235 [t]	Number	Wales	2022/23	All areas	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
31,245 [t]	Number	Wales	2022/23	All areas	Resident children
6,629 [t]	Number	Wales	2023/24	Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
7,307 [t]	Number	Wales	2023/24	Flying Start	Resident children
19,586 [t]	Number	Wales	2023/24	Non-Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
23,233 [t]	Number	Wales	2023/24	Non-Flying Start	Resident children
26,215 [t]	Number	Wales	2023/24	All areas	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
30,540 [t]	Number	Wales	2023/24	All areas	Resident children
6,143 [t]	Number	Wales	2024/25	Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
6,827 [t]	Number	Wales	2024/25	Flying Start	Resident children
18,987 [t]	Number	Wales	2024/25	Non-Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
22,680 [t]	Number	Wales	2024/25	Non-Flying Start	Resident children
25,130 [t]	Number	Wales	2024/25	All areas	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
29,507 [t]	Number	Wales	2024/25	All areas	Resident children
98	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2012/13	Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
101	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2012/13	Flying Start	Resident children
502	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2012/13	Non-Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
658	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2012/13	Non-Flying Start	Resident children
600	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2012/13	All areas	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
759	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2012/13	All areas	Resident children
114	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2013/14	Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
114	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2013/14	Flying Start	Resident children
506	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2013/14	Non-Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
688	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2013/14	Non-Flying Start	Resident children
620	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2013/14	All areas	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
802	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2013/14	All areas	Resident children
145	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2014/15	Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
148	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2014/15	Flying Start	Resident children
490	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2014/15	Non-Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
657	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2014/15	Non-Flying Start	Resident children
635	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2014/15	All areas	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
805	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2014/15	All areas	Resident children
157	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2015/16	Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
168	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2015/16	Flying Start	Resident children
523	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2015/16	Non-Flying Start	Recorded on roll at a maintained school
635	Number	Isle of Anglesey	2015/16	Non-Flying Start	Resident children

Showing 1 to 100 of 2,691 rows

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Main information

• Most recent update: 9 October 2025
• Next update expected: October 2026
• Designation: Official statistics
• Data provider: Welsh Government
• Data source: Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC)
• Time period covered: September 2012 to August 2025

Data notes

Overview

• Summary of dataset and variables:

  This dataset provides data on the numbers of Flying Start children starting Foundation Phase (the statutory curriculum for all 3 to 7 year olds in Wales in both maintained and non-maintained schools), which measures the degree to which Flying Start children are taking-up early years education opportunities. Data is presented for children living in Flying Start and non-Flying Start areas by local authority.

  Flying Start is the Welsh Government early years programme delivered by local authorities in Wales. It is aimed at improving outcomes for families with children under 4 years of age in some of the most disadvantaged areas of Wales.

  Expansion of all four elements of Flying Start began in September 2022, it included: funded part-time, high-quality childcare for 2 year olds; parenting support; enhanced health visitor support; and support for speech, language and communication.

• Data collection or calculation:

  The main source of data used in this statistical release is the Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC). Schools’ data are derived from PLASC returns and STATS 1 returns supplied by schools open on Census day in January each year. The returns are authorised by headteachers and validated by Local Authorities.

  Further information on data sources and changes to Flying Start service provision because of the pandemic are detailed in the quality report

• Statistical quality:

  For some local authorities in some years, the number of children recorded on PLASC was greater than the total number of children recorded on NCCHD, resulting in percentage of greater than 100% which has been adjusted to 100%. The local authorities and years affected are:

  • 2012-13: Conwy, Denbighshire, Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taf
  • 2013-14: Wrexham
  • 2014-15: Gwynedd, Denbighshire
  • 2015-16: Denbighshire, Bridgend
  • 2016-17: Denbighshire, Caerphilly
  • 2017-18: Gwynedd, Denbighshire, Vale of Glamorgan, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil, Caerphilly
  • 2018-19: Blaenau Gwent
  • 2019-20: Vale of Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil
  • 2020-21: Denbighshire, Merthyr Tydfil
  • 2021-22: Denbighshire
  • 2022-23: Denbighshire
  • 2023-24: Gwynedd
  • 2024-25: Denbighshire, Wrexham
• Related reports:
  • Flying Start annual statistical bulletin
  • Flying Start quality report
  • Pupil level annual school census (PLASC)

Published by

• Organisation: Welsh Government
• Contact email: stats.healthinfo@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.