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
995	Number of pupils	2017/18	Primary schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
3,040	Number of pupils	2017/18	Primary schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
3,645	Number of pupils	2017/18	Primary schools	Physical and medical difficulties
1,610	Number of pupils	2017/18	Primary schools	Hearing impairment
675	Number of pupils	2017/18	Primary schools	Visual impairment
85	Number of pupils	2017/18	Primary schools	Multi-sensory impairment
17,935	Number of pupils	2017/18	Primary schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
12,475	Number of pupils	2017/18	Primary schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
560	Number of pupils	2017/18	Middle schools	Moderate learning difficulties
805	Number of pupils	2017/18	Middle schools	General learning difficulties
40	Number of pupils	2017/18	Middle schools	Severe learning difficulties
10	Number of pupils	2017/18	Middle schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
445	Number of pupils	2017/18	Middle schools	Dyslexia
45	Number of pupils	2017/18	Middle schools	Dyscalculia
35	Number of pupils	2017/18	Middle schools	Dyspraxia
50	Number of pupils	2017/18	Middle schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
170	Number of pupils	2017/18	Middle schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
205	Number of pupils	2017/18	Middle schools	Physical and medical difficulties
110	Number of pupils	2017/18	Middle schools	Hearing impairment
40	Number of pupils	2017/18	Middle schools	Visual impairment
10	Number of pupils	2017/18	Middle schools	Multi-sensory impairment
530	Number of pupils	2017/18	Middle schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
450	Number of pupils	2017/18	Middle schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
7,160	Number of pupils	2017/18	Secondary schools	Moderate learning difficulties
13,960	Number of pupils	2017/18	Secondary schools	General learning difficulties
405	Number of pupils	2017/18	Secondary schools	Severe learning difficulties
100	Number of pupils	2017/18	Secondary schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
5,410	Number of pupils	2017/18	Secondary schools	Dyslexia
390	Number of pupils	2017/18	Secondary schools	Dyscalculia
645	Number of pupils	2017/18	Secondary schools	Dyspraxia
1,610	Number of pupils	2017/18	Secondary schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
2,670	Number of pupils	2017/18	Secondary schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
2,620	Number of pupils	2017/18	Secondary schools	Physical and medical difficulties
1,250	Number of pupils	2017/18	Secondary schools	Hearing impairment
590	Number of pupils	2017/18	Secondary schools	Visual impairment
25	Number of pupils	2017/18	Secondary schools	Multi-sensory impairment
4,455	Number of pupils	2017/18	Secondary schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
10,560	Number of pupils	2017/18	Secondary schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
710	Number of pupils	2017/18	Special schools	Moderate learning difficulties
135	Number of pupils	2017/18	Special schools	General learning difficulties
1,660	Number of pupils	2017/18	Special schools	Severe learning difficulties
505	Number of pupils	2017/18	Special schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
35	Number of pupils	2017/18	Special schools	Dyslexia
25	Number of pupils	2017/18	Special schools	Dyspraxia
185	Number of pupils	2017/18	Special schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
1,760	Number of pupils	2017/18	Special schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
740	Number of pupils	2017/18	Special schools	Physical and medical difficulties
145	Number of pupils	2017/18	Special schools	Hearing impairment
160	Number of pupils	2017/18	Special schools	Visual impairment
55	Number of pupils	2017/18	Special schools	Multi-sensory impairment
1,155	Number of pupils	2017/18	Special schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
910	Number of pupils	2017/18	Special schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
16,875	Number of pupils	2017/18	All schools	Moderate learning difficulties
36,415	Number of pupils	2017/18	All schools	General learning difficulties
2,845	Number of pupils	2017/18	All schools	Severe learning difficulties
855	Number of pupils	2017/18	All schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
8,090	Number of pupils	2017/18	All schools	Dyslexia
655	Number of pupils	2017/18	All schools	Dyscalculia
1,035	Number of pupils	2017/18	All schools	Dyspraxia
2,840	Number of pupils	2017/18	All schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
7,655	Number of pupils	2017/18	All schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
7,225	Number of pupils	2017/18	All schools	Physical and medical difficulties
3,120	Number of pupils	2017/18	All schools	Hearing impairment
1,470	Number of pupils	2017/18	All schools	Visual impairment
180	Number of pupils	2017/18	All schools	Multi-sensory impairment
24,165	Number of pupils	2017/18	All schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
24,415	Number of pupils	2017/18	All schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
5	Number of pupils	2018/19	Nursery schools	Moderate learning difficulties
10	Number of pupils	2018/19	Nursery schools	General learning difficulties
[c]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Nursery schools	Severe learning difficulties
[c]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Nursery schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
15	Number of pupils	2018/19	Nursery schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
20	Number of pupils	2018/19	Nursery schools	Physical and medical difficulties
[c]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Nursery schools	Hearing impairment
[c]	Number of pupils	2018/19	Nursery schools	Visual impairment
75	Number of pupils	2018/19	Nursery schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
20	Number of pupils	2018/19	Nursery schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
7,160	Number of pupils	2018/19	Primary schools	Moderate learning difficulties
21,230	Number of pupils	2018/19	Primary schools	General learning difficulties
695	Number of pupils	2018/19	Primary schools	Severe learning difficulties
230	Number of pupils	2018/19	Primary schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
1,870	Number of pupils	2018/19	Primary schools	Dyslexia
165	Number of pupils	2018/19	Primary schools	Dyscalculia
335	Number of pupils	2018/19	Primary schools	Dyspraxia
970	Number of pupils	2018/19	Primary schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
3,380	Number of pupils	2018/19	Primary schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
3,605	Number of pupils	2018/19	Primary schools	Physical and medical difficulties
1,535	Number of pupils	2018/19	Primary schools	Hearing impairment
650	Number of pupils	2018/19	Primary schools	Visual impairment
85	Number of pupils	2018/19	Primary schools	Multi-sensory impairment
18,080	Number of pupils	2018/19	Primary schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
12,500	Number of pupils	2018/19	Primary schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
695	Number of pupils	2018/19	Middle schools	Moderate learning difficulties
1,040	Number of pupils	2018/19	Middle schools	General learning difficulties
60	Number of pupils	2018/19	Middle schools	Severe learning difficulties
15	Number of pupils	2018/19	Middle schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
510	Number of pupils	2018/19	Middle schools	Dyslexia
90	Number of pupils	2018/19	Middle schools	Dyscalculia
45	Number of pupils	2018/19	Middle schools	Dyspraxia
100	Number of pupils	2018/19	Middle schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Showing 101 to 200 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.