Pupils in maintained schools aged 5 or over, ability to speak Welsh as assessed by parents, by local authority, category and year (primary, middle and secondary schools)

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

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Data valuesData descriptionYearLocal AuthorityCategory
9,584Number of pupils2016/17GwyneddFluent in Welsh
3,628Number of pupils2016/17GwyneddCan speak Welsh but not fluently
1,160Number of pupils2016/17GwyneddCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
14,372 [t]Number of pupils2016/17GwyneddTotal
1,734Number of pupils2016/17ConwyFluent in Welsh
5,687Number of pupils2016/17ConwyCan speak Welsh but not fluently
5,993Number of pupils2016/17ConwyCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
13,414 [t]Number of pupils2016/17ConwyTotal
2,690Number of pupils2016/17DenbighshireFluent in Welsh
5,723Number of pupils2016/17DenbighshireCan speak Welsh but not fluently
4,835Number of pupils2016/17DenbighshireCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
13,248 [t]Number of pupils2016/17DenbighshireTotal
996Number of pupils2016/17FlintshireFluent in Welsh
7,639Number of pupils2016/17FlintshireCan speak Welsh but not fluently
11,271Number of pupils2016/17FlintshireCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
19,906 [t]Number of pupils2016/17FlintshireTotal
1,395Number of pupils2016/17WrexhamFluent in Welsh
6,708Number of pupils2016/17WrexhamCan speak Welsh but not fluently
7,932Number of pupils2016/17WrexhamCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
16,035 [t]Number of pupils2016/17WrexhamTotal
1,678Number of pupils2016/17PowysFluent in Welsh
8,235Number of pupils2016/17PowysCan speak Welsh but not fluently
5,406Number of pupils2016/17PowysCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
15,319 [t]Number of pupils2016/17PowysTotal
3,917Number of pupils2016/17CeredigionFluent in Welsh
3,019Number of pupils2016/17CeredigionCan speak Welsh but not fluently
1,326Number of pupils2016/17CeredigionCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
8,262 [t]Number of pupils2016/17CeredigionTotal
2,020Number of pupils2016/17PembrokeshireFluent in Welsh
6,248Number of pupils2016/17PembrokeshireCan speak Welsh but not fluently
6,311Number of pupils2016/17PembrokeshireCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
14,579 [t]Number of pupils2016/17PembrokeshireTotal
9,749Number of pupils2016/17CarmarthenshireFluent in Welsh
6,887Number of pupils2016/17CarmarthenshireCan speak Welsh but not fluently
6,454Number of pupils2016/17CarmarthenshireCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
23,090 [t]Number of pupils2016/17CarmarthenshireTotal
2,686Number of pupils2016/17SwanseaFluent in Welsh
4,845Number of pupils2016/17SwanseaCan speak Welsh but not fluently
22,038Number of pupils2016/17SwanseaCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
29,569 [t]Number of pupils2016/17SwanseaTotal
2,291Number of pupils2016/17Neath Port TalbotFluent in Welsh
3,244Number of pupils2016/17Neath Port TalbotCan speak Welsh but not fluently
11,555Number of pupils2016/17Neath Port TalbotCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
17,090 [t]Number of pupils2016/17Neath Port TalbotTotal
1,501Number of pupils2016/17BridgendFluent in Welsh
3,269Number of pupils2016/17BridgendCan speak Welsh but not fluently
14,273Number of pupils2016/17BridgendCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
19,043 [t]Number of pupils2016/17BridgendTotal
2,196Number of pupils2016/17Vale of GlamorganFluent in Welsh
3,993Number of pupils2016/17Vale of GlamorganCan speak Welsh but not fluently
12,471Number of pupils2016/17Vale of GlamorganCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
18,660 [t]Number of pupils2016/17Vale of GlamorganTotal
5,439Number of pupils2016/17Rhondda Cynon TafFluent in Welsh
5,622Number of pupils2016/17Rhondda Cynon TafCan speak Welsh but not fluently
21,144Number of pupils2016/17Rhondda Cynon TafCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
32,205 [t]Number of pupils2016/17Rhondda Cynon TafTotal
472Number of pupils2016/17Merthyr TydfilFluent in Welsh
1,310Number of pupils2016/17Merthyr TydfilCan speak Welsh but not fluently
5,234Number of pupils2016/17Merthyr TydfilCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
7,016 [t]Number of pupils2016/17Merthyr TydfilTotal
3,519Number of pupils2016/17CaerphillyFluent in Welsh
11,043Number of pupils2016/17CaerphillyCan speak Welsh but not fluently
9,075Number of pupils2016/17CaerphillyCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
23,637 [t]Number of pupils2016/17CaerphillyTotal
82Number of pupils2016/17Blaenau GwentFluent in Welsh
4,627Number of pupils2016/17Blaenau GwentCan speak Welsh but not fluently
2,689Number of pupils2016/17Blaenau GwentCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
7,398 [t]Number of pupils2016/17Blaenau GwentTotal
1,354Number of pupils2016/17TorfaenFluent in Welsh
6,312Number of pupils2016/17TorfaenCan speak Welsh but not fluently
5,055Number of pupils2016/17TorfaenCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
12,721 [t]Number of pupils2016/17TorfaenTotal
235Number of pupils2016/17MonmouthshireFluent in Welsh
7,833Number of pupils2016/17MonmouthshireCan speak Welsh but not fluently
2,132Number of pupils2016/17MonmouthshireCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
10,200 [t]Number of pupils2016/17MonmouthshireTotal
430Number of pupils2016/17NewportFluent in Welsh
11,425Number of pupils2016/17NewportCan speak Welsh but not fluently
9,420Number of pupils2016/17NewportCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
21,275 [t]Number of pupils2016/17NewportTotal
5,451Number of pupils2016/17CardiffFluent in Welsh
6,154Number of pupils2016/17CardiffCan speak Welsh but not fluently
33,104Number of pupils2016/17CardiffCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
44,709 [t]Number of pupils2016/17CardiffTotal
63,621Number of pupils2016/17WalesFluent in Welsh
126,678Number of pupils2016/17WalesCan speak Welsh but not fluently
199,604Number of pupils2016/17WalesCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
389,903 [t]Number of pupils2016/17WalesTotal
4,186Number of pupils2017/18Isle of AngleseyFluent in Welsh
3,214Number of pupils2017/18Isle of AngleseyCan speak Welsh but not fluently
818Number of pupils2017/18Isle of AngleseyCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
8,218 [t]Number of pupils2017/18Isle of AngleseyTotal
9,582Number of pupils2017/18GwyneddFluent in Welsh
3,652Number of pupils2017/18GwyneddCan speak Welsh but not fluently
1,233Number of pupils2017/18GwyneddCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
14,467 [t]Number of pupils2017/18GwyneddTotal
1,674Number of pupils2017/18ConwyFluent in Welsh
5,685Number of pupils2017/18ConwyCan speak Welsh but not fluently
6,056Number of pupils2017/18ConwyCannot speak Welsh/Information not obtained
13,415 [t]Number of pupils2017/18ConwyTotal
Showing 1,201 to 1,300 of 2,024 rows
Page 13 of 21

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

Published by

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

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