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
535	Number of pupils	2019/20	Secondary schools	Visual impairment
40	Number of pupils	2019/20	Secondary schools	Multi-sensory impairment
4,535	Number of pupils	2019/20	Secondary schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
10,550	Number of pupils	2019/20	Secondary schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
615	Number of pupils	2019/20	Special schools	Moderate learning difficulties
230	Number of pupils	2019/20	Special schools	General learning difficulties
1,775	Number of pupils	2019/20	Special schools	Severe learning difficulties
495	Number of pupils	2019/20	Special schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
30	Number of pupils	2019/20	Special schools	Dyslexia
[c]	Number of pupils	2019/20	Special schools	Dyscalculia
20	Number of pupils	2019/20	Special schools	Dyspraxia
230	Number of pupils	2019/20	Special schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
2,080	Number of pupils	2019/20	Special schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
860	Number of pupils	2019/20	Special schools	Physical and medical difficulties
150	Number of pupils	2019/20	Special schools	Hearing impairment
170	Number of pupils	2019/20	Special schools	Visual impairment
55	Number of pupils	2019/20	Special schools	Multi-sensory impairment
1,450	Number of pupils	2019/20	Special schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
1,010	Number of pupils	2019/20	Special schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
12,600	Number of pupils	2019/20	All schools	Moderate learning difficulties
33,170	Number of pupils	2019/20	All schools	General learning difficulties
2,880	Number of pupils	2019/20	All schools	Severe learning difficulties
835	Number of pupils	2019/20	All schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
6,390	Number of pupils	2019/20	All schools	Dyslexia
480	Number of pupils	2019/20	All schools	Dyscalculia
940	Number of pupils	2019/20	All schools	Dyspraxia
3,110	Number of pupils	2019/20	All schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
9,095	Number of pupils	2019/20	All schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
7,180	Number of pupils	2019/20	All schools	Physical and medical difficulties
2,915	Number of pupils	2019/20	All schools	Hearing impairment
1,355	Number of pupils	2019/20	All schools	Visual impairment
195	Number of pupils	2019/20	All schools	Multi-sensory impairment
24,375	Number of pupils	2019/20	All schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
24,920	Number of pupils	2019/20	All schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
5	Number of pupils	2020/21	Nursery schools	Moderate learning difficulties
10	Number of pupils	2020/21	Nursery schools	General learning difficulties
5	Number of pupils	2020/21	Nursery schools	Severe learning difficulties
[c]	Number of pupils	2020/21	Nursery schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
15	Number of pupils	2020/21	Nursery schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
15	Number of pupils	2020/21	Nursery schools	Physical and medical difficulties
[c]	Number of pupils	2020/21	Nursery schools	Visual impairment
70	Number of pupils	2020/21	Nursery schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
20	Number of pupils	2020/21	Nursery schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
5,195	Number of pupils	2020/21	Primary schools	Moderate learning difficulties
16,295	Number of pupils	2020/21	Primary schools	General learning difficulties
625	Number of pupils	2020/21	Primary schools	Severe learning difficulties
265	Number of pupils	2020/21	Primary schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
1,280	Number of pupils	2020/21	Primary schools	Dyslexia
65	Number of pupils	2020/21	Primary schools	Dyscalculia
250	Number of pupils	2020/21	Primary schools	Dyspraxia
940	Number of pupils	2020/21	Primary schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
3,695	Number of pupils	2020/21	Primary schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
3,140	Number of pupils	2020/21	Primary schools	Physical and medical difficulties
1,190	Number of pupils	2020/21	Primary schools	Hearing impairment
530	Number of pupils	2020/21	Primary schools	Visual impairment
115	Number of pupils	2020/21	Primary schools	Multi-sensory impairment
17,175	Number of pupils	2020/21	Primary schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
11,845	Number of pupils	2020/21	Primary schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
670	Number of pupils	2020/21	Middle schools	Moderate learning difficulties
1,320	Number of pupils	2020/21	Middle schools	General learning difficulties
55	Number of pupils	2020/21	Middle schools	Severe learning difficulties
15	Number of pupils	2020/21	Middle schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
480	Number of pupils	2020/21	Middle schools	Dyslexia
65	Number of pupils	2020/21	Middle schools	Dyscalculia
45	Number of pupils	2020/21	Middle schools	Dyspraxia
155	Number of pupils	2020/21	Middle schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
410	Number of pupils	2020/21	Middle schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
400	Number of pupils	2020/21	Middle schools	Physical and medical difficulties
125	Number of pupils	2020/21	Middle schools	Hearing impairment
50	Number of pupils	2020/21	Middle schools	Visual impairment
10	Number of pupils	2020/21	Middle schools	Multi-sensory impairment
940	Number of pupils	2020/21	Middle schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
1,110	Number of pupils	2020/21	Middle schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
4,935	Number of pupils	2020/21	Secondary schools	Moderate learning difficulties
12,785	Number of pupils	2020/21	Secondary schools	General learning difficulties
360	Number of pupils	2020/21	Secondary schools	Severe learning difficulties
65	Number of pupils	2020/21	Secondary schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
3,955	Number of pupils	2020/21	Secondary schools	Dyslexia
280	Number of pupils	2020/21	Secondary schools	Dyscalculia
575	Number of pupils	2020/21	Secondary schools	Dyspraxia
1,830	Number of pupils	2020/21	Secondary schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
3,470	Number of pupils	2020/21	Secondary schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
2,460	Number of pupils	2020/21	Secondary schools	Physical and medical difficulties
1,200	Number of pupils	2020/21	Secondary schools	Hearing impairment
525	Number of pupils	2020/21	Secondary schools	Visual impairment
55	Number of pupils	2020/21	Secondary schools	Multi-sensory impairment
4,755	Number of pupils	2020/21	Secondary schools	Speech, language and communication difficulties
10,425	Number of pupils	2020/21	Secondary schools	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
585	Number of pupils	2020/21	Special schools	Moderate learning difficulties
240	Number of pupils	2020/21	Special schools	General learning difficulties
1,695	Number of pupils	2020/21	Special schools	Severe learning difficulties
500	Number of pupils	2020/21	Special schools	Profound & multiple learning difficulties
25	Number of pupils	2020/21	Special schools	Dyslexia
[c]	Number of pupils	2020/21	Special schools	Dyscalculia
20	Number of pupils	2020/21	Special schools	Dyspraxia
230	Number of pupils	2020/21	Special schools	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
2,220	Number of pupils	2020/21	Special schools	Autistic Spectrum Disorders
875	Number of pupils	2020/21	Special schools	Physical and medical difficulties
140	Number of pupils	2020/21	Special schools	Hearing impairment
160	Number of pupils	2020/21	Special schools	Visual impairment

Showing 301 to 400 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.