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
290	Number of pupils	2018/19	Middle schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
300	Number of pupils	2018/19	Middle schools	Physical and medical difficulties
95	Number of pupils	2018/19	Middle schools	Hearing impairment
50	Number of pupils	2018/19	Middle schools	Visual impairment
10	Number of pupils	2018/19	Middle schools	Multi-sensory impairment
720	Number of pupils	2018/19	Middle schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
850	Number of pupils	2018/19	Middle schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
6,245	Number of pupils	2018/19	Secondary schools	Moderate learning difficulties
13,925	Number of pupils	2018/19	Secondary schools	General learning difficulties
365	Number of pupils	2018/19	Secondary schools	Severe learning difficulties
80	Number of pupils	2018/19	Secondary schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
4,810	Number of pupils	2018/19	Secondary schools	Dyslexia
380	Number of pupils	2018/19	Secondary schools	Dyscalculia
605	Number of pupils	2018/19	Secondary schools	Dyspraxia
1,695	Number of pupils	2018/19	Secondary schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
2,820	Number of pupils	2018/19	Secondary schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
2,575	Number of pupils	2018/19	Secondary schools	Physical and medical difficulties
1,300	Number of pupils	2018/19	Secondary schools	Hearing impairment
570	Number of pupils	2018/19	Secondary schools	Visual impairment
40	Number of pupils	2018/19	Secondary schools	Multi-sensory impairment
4,500	Number of pupils	2018/19	Secondary schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
10,670	Number of pupils	2018/19	Secondary schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
655	Number of pupils	2018/19	Special schools	Moderate learning difficulties
180	Number of pupils	2018/19	Special schools	General learning difficulties
1,800	Number of pupils	2018/19	Special schools	Severe learning difficulties
510	Number of pupils	2018/19	Special schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
25	Number of pupils	2018/19	Special schools	Dyslexia
20	Number of pupils	2018/19	Special schools	Dyspraxia
225	Number of pupils	2018/19	Special schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
1,890	Number of pupils	2018/19	Special schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
785	Number of pupils	2018/19	Special schools	Physical and medical difficulties
155	Number of pupils	2018/19	Special schools	Hearing impairment
175	Number of pupils	2018/19	Special schools	Visual impairment
55	Number of pupils	2018/19	Special schools	Multi-sensory impairment
1,280	Number of pupils	2018/19	Special schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
960	Number of pupils	2018/19	Special schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
14,760	Number of pupils	2018/19	All schools	Moderate learning difficulties
36,390	Number of pupils	2018/19	All schools	General learning difficulties
2,930	Number of pupils	2018/19	All schools	Severe learning difficulties
835	Number of pupils	2018/19	All schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
7,215	Number of pupils	2018/19	All schools	Dyslexia
635	Number of pupils	2018/19	All schools	Dyscalculia
1,010	Number of pupils	2018/19	All schools	Dyspraxia
2,990	Number of pupils	2018/19	All schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
8,400	Number of pupils	2018/19	All schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
7,285	Number of pupils	2018/19	All schools	Physical and medical difficulties
3,085	Number of pupils	2018/19	All schools	Hearing impairment
1,445	Number of pupils	2018/19	All schools	Visual impairment
190	Number of pupils	2018/19	All schools	Multi-sensory impairment
24,650	Number of pupils	2018/19	All schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
25,005	Number of pupils	2018/19	All schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
5	Number of pupils	2019/20	Nursery schools	Moderate learning difficulties
[c]	Number of pupils	2019/20	Nursery schools	General learning difficulties
5	Number of pupils	2019/20	Nursery schools	Severe learning difficulties
30	Number of pupils	2019/20	Nursery schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
10	Number of pupils	2019/20	Nursery schools	Physical and medical difficulties
[c]	Number of pupils	2019/20	Nursery schools	Visual impairment
55	Number of pupils	2019/20	Nursery schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
25	Number of pupils	2019/20	Nursery schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
5,890	Number of pupils	2019/20	Primary schools	Moderate learning difficulties
18,270	Number of pupils	2019/20	Primary schools	General learning difficulties
690	Number of pupils	2019/20	Primary schools	Severe learning difficulties
245	Number of pupils	2019/20	Primary schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
1,535	Number of pupils	2019/20	Primary schools	Dyslexia
100	Number of pupils	2019/20	Primary schools	Dyscalculia
275	Number of pupils	2019/20	Primary schools	Dyspraxia
965	Number of pupils	2019/20	Primary schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
3,535	Number of pupils	2019/20	Primary schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
3,430	Number of pupils	2019/20	Primary schools	Physical and medical difficulties
1,385	Number of pupils	2019/20	Primary schools	Hearing impairment
600	Number of pupils	2019/20	Primary schools	Visual impairment
90	Number of pupils	2019/20	Primary schools	Multi-sensory impairment
17,385	Number of pupils	2019/20	Primary schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
12,260	Number of pupils	2019/20	Primary schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
750	Number of pupils	2019/20	Middle schools	Moderate learning difficulties
1,225	Number of pupils	2019/20	Middle schools	General learning difficulties
55	Number of pupils	2019/20	Middle schools	Severe learning difficulties
15	Number of pupils	2019/20	Middle schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
505	Number of pupils	2019/20	Middle schools	Dyslexia
65	Number of pupils	2019/20	Middle schools	Dyscalculia
50	Number of pupils	2019/20	Middle schools	Dyspraxia
155	Number of pupils	2019/20	Middle schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
370	Number of pupils	2019/20	Middle schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
385	Number of pupils	2019/20	Middle schools	Physical and medical difficulties
115	Number of pupils	2019/20	Middle schools	Hearing impairment
45	Number of pupils	2019/20	Middle schools	Visual impairment
10	Number of pupils	2019/20	Middle schools	Multi-sensory impairment
945	Number of pupils	2019/20	Middle schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
1,080	Number of pupils	2019/20	Middle schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
5,345	Number of pupils	2019/20	Secondary schools	Moderate learning difficulties
13,450	Number of pupils	2019/20	Secondary schools	General learning difficulties
355	Number of pupils	2019/20	Secondary schools	Severe learning difficulties
75	Number of pupils	2019/20	Secondary schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
4,320	Number of pupils	2019/20	Secondary schools	Dyslexia
315	Number of pupils	2019/20	Secondary schools	Dyscalculia
590	Number of pupils	2019/20	Secondary schools	Dyspraxia
1,760	Number of pupils	2019/20	Secondary schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
3,080	Number of pupils	2019/20	Secondary schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
2,500	Number of pupils	2019/20	Secondary schools	Physical and medical difficulties
1,265	Number of pupils	2019/20	Secondary schools	Hearing impairment

Showing 201 to 300 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.