Pupils in maintained schools eligible for free school meals by local authority and year

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Data valuesData descriptionYearLocal authorityCategory
1,960Number of pupils2016/17GwyneddEligible for free school meals
17,061Number of pupils2016/17GwyneddAll pupils
2,382Number of pupils2016/17ConwyEligible for free school meals
15,870Number of pupils2016/17ConwyAll pupils
2,528Number of pupils2016/17DenbighshireEligible for free school meals
15,660Number of pupils2016/17DenbighshireAll pupils
2,904Number of pupils2016/17FlintshireEligible for free school meals
23,554Number of pupils2016/17FlintshireAll pupils
3,092Number of pupils2016/17WrexhamEligible for free school meals
19,664Number of pupils2016/17WrexhamAll pupils
1,923Number of pupils2016/17PowysEligible for free school meals
17,841Number of pupils2016/17PowysAll pupils
972Number of pupils2016/17CeredigionEligible for free school meals
9,510Number of pupils2016/17CeredigionAll pupils
2,690Number of pupils2016/17PembrokeshireEligible for free school meals
17,456Number of pupils2016/17PembrokeshireAll pupils
4,261Number of pupils2016/17CarmarthenshireEligible for free school meals
27,149Number of pupils2016/17CarmarthenshireAll pupils
6,235Number of pupils2016/17SwanseaEligible for free school meals
35,809Number of pupils2016/17SwanseaAll pupils
4,228Number of pupils2016/17Neath Port TalbotEligible for free school meals
20,764Number of pupils2016/17Neath Port TalbotAll pupils
3,953Number of pupils2016/17BridgendEligible for free school meals
22,972Number of pupils2016/17BridgendAll pupils
2,538Number of pupils2016/17Vale of GlamorganEligible for free school meals
22,381Number of pupils2016/17Vale of GlamorganAll pupils
8,030Number of pupils2016/17Rhondda Cynon TafEligible for free school meals
38,648Number of pupils2016/17Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
1,815Number of pupils2016/17Merthyr TydfilEligible for free school meals
8,798Number of pupils2016/17Merthyr TydfilAll pupils
5,441Number of pupils2016/17CaerphillyEligible for free school meals
28,419Number of pupils2016/17CaerphillyAll pupils
1,909Number of pupils2016/17Blaenau GwentEligible for free school meals
9,232Number of pupils2016/17Blaenau GwentAll pupils
2,354Number of pupils2016/17TorfaenEligible for free school meals
15,017Number of pupils2016/17TorfaenAll pupils
1,120Number of pupils2016/17MonmouthshireEligible for free school meals
11,608Number of pupils2016/17MonmouthshireAll pupils
4,150Number of pupils2016/17NewportEligible for free school meals
25,267Number of pupils2016/17NewportAll pupils
10,322Number of pupils2016/17CardiffEligible for free school meals
54,129Number of pupils2016/17CardiffAll pupils
76,224 [t]Number of pupils2016/17WalesEligible for free school meals
466,508 [t]Number of pupils2016/17WalesAll pupils
1,361Number of pupils2017/18Isle of AngleseyEligible for free school meals
9,718Number of pupils2017/18Isle of AngleseyAll pupils
1,900Number of pupils2017/18GwyneddEligible for free school meals
16,995Number of pupils2017/18GwyneddAll pupils
2,229Number of pupils2017/18ConwyEligible for free school meals
15,802Number of pupils2017/18ConwyAll pupils
2,481Number of pupils2017/18DenbighshireEligible for free school meals
15,598Number of pupils2017/18DenbighshireAll pupils
3,151Number of pupils2017/18FlintshireEligible for free school meals
23,395Number of pupils2017/18FlintshireAll pupils
2,985Number of pupils2017/18WrexhamEligible for free school meals
19,566Number of pupils2017/18WrexhamAll pupils
1,807Number of pupils2017/18PowysEligible for free school meals
17,207Number of pupils2017/18PowysAll pupils
1,009Number of pupils2017/18CeredigionEligible for free school meals
9,583Number of pupils2017/18CeredigionAll pupils
2,421Number of pupils2017/18PembrokeshireEligible for free school meals
17,349Number of pupils2017/18PembrokeshireAll pupils
4,086Number of pupils2017/18CarmarthenshireEligible for free school meals
27,265Number of pupils2017/18CarmarthenshireAll pupils
6,190Number of pupils2017/18SwanseaEligible for free school meals
35,846Number of pupils2017/18SwanseaAll pupils
4,133Number of pupils2017/18Neath Port TalbotEligible for free school meals
20,929Number of pupils2017/18Neath Port TalbotAll pupils
4,022Number of pupils2017/18BridgendEligible for free school meals
22,935Number of pupils2017/18BridgendAll pupils
2,447Number of pupils2017/18Vale of GlamorganEligible for free school meals
22,489Number of pupils2017/18Vale of GlamorganAll pupils
7,824Number of pupils2017/18Rhondda Cynon TafEligible for free school meals
38,635Number of pupils2017/18Rhondda Cynon TafAll pupils
1,765Number of pupils2017/18Merthyr TydfilEligible for free school meals
8,915Number of pupils2017/18Merthyr TydfilAll pupils
5,267Number of pupils2017/18CaerphillyEligible for free school meals
28,408Number of pupils2017/18CaerphillyAll pupils
1,951Number of pupils2017/18Blaenau GwentEligible for free school meals
9,326Number of pupils2017/18Blaenau GwentAll pupils
2,586Number of pupils2017/18TorfaenEligible for free school meals
15,020Number of pupils2017/18TorfaenAll pupils
1,153Number of pupils2017/18MonmouthshireEligible for free school meals
11,642Number of pupils2017/18MonmouthshireAll pupils
4,041Number of pupils2017/18NewportEligible for free school meals
25,766Number of pupils2017/18NewportAll pupils
9,759Number of pupils2017/18CardiffEligible for free school meals
54,723Number of pupils2017/18CardiffAll pupils
74,568 [t]Number of pupils2017/18WalesEligible for free school meals
467,112 [t]Number of pupils2017/18WalesAll pupils
1,392Number of pupils2018/19Isle of AngleseyEligible for free school meals
9,686Number of pupils2018/19Isle of AngleseyAll pupils
1,879Number of pupils2018/19GwyneddEligible for free school meals
16,957Number of pupils2018/19GwyneddAll pupils
2,455Number of pupils2018/19ConwyEligible for free school meals
15,803Number of pupils2018/19ConwyAll pupils
2,726Number of pupils2018/19DenbighshireEligible for free school meals
15,679Number of pupils2018/19DenbighshireAll pupils
3,571Number of pupils2018/19FlintshireEligible for free school meals
23,372Number of pupils2018/19FlintshireAll pupils
Showing 601 to 700 of 1,794 rows
Page 7 of 18

Main information

Most recent update
18 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.

Related reports

Published by

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

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