Member
Heledd Fychan South Wales Central
WQ92773 (w) Tabled on 07/05/2024

What percentage of primary-school-age learners in Wales took part in the first experiences programme as part of the national music service, as a national figure, and per county in Wales?

Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Education | Answered on 17/05/2024

The information set out below on the ‘First Experiences’ programme has been provided by the National Music Service, for which the lead body is the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA). The verified statistical data for Year 1 of the programme indicates that it had engaged with 70 per cent of primary schools and 18 per cent of primary school learners.

The National Music Service has established a baseline set of data, supplemented by annual data, to support monitoring systems. The figures set out in the tables below derive from:

  1. the Year 1 data return (full academic year 2022-23)
  2. the ‘mid-way’ data return (autumn and spring terms, academic year 2023-24) 

The full data return for the full academic year 2023-24 is due in July 2024 and the verification process for this will be completed by October 2024.

 

National overview:

The figures below set out the number of engagements between the ‘First Experiences’ programme and schools and learners. Some schools and learners will have received support under the programme, in both academic years. Therefore, there will be some duplication in the schools and learners captured in the headline figures below, between academic years.

 

Schools

Learners

Wales

Yr. 1: 859

Yr. 2 (2 terms): 842

Total: 1,701

Yr.1: 48,019

Yr. 2: 33,111

Total: 81,130

 

Data per county:

Where music services cover more than one local authority area, the data below is combined.

Music service area

Schools

Learners

Anglesey and Gwynedd

Yr. 1: 31
Yr. 2: 40
Total: 71

Yr. 1: 0
Yr. 2: 911
Total: 911

Conwy

Yr. 1: 0
Yr. 2: 15
Total: 15

Yr. 1: 273
Yr. 2: 1,278
Total: 1,551

Denbighshire

Yr. 1: 57
Yr. 2: 61
Total: 118

Yr. 1: 1,450
Yr. 2: 1,992
Total: 3,442

Flintshire

Yr. 1: 54
Yr. 2: 62
Total: 116

Yr. 1: 2,540
Yr. 2: 1,790
Total: 4,330

Wrexham

Yr. 1: 60
Yr. 2: 66
Total: 126

Yr. 1: 1,450
Yr. 2: 2,776
Total: 4,226

Powys

 

Yr. 1: 36
Yr. 2: 43
Total: 79

Yr. 1: 1,872
Yr. 2: 1,299
Total: 3,171

Ceredigion

Yr. 1: 6
Yr. 2: 29
Total: 35

Yr. 1: 340
Yr. 2: 890
Total: 1,230

Carmarthenshire

Yr. 1: 20
Yr. 2: 14
Total: 34

Yr. 1: 1,540
Yr. 2: 320
Total: 1,860

Pembrokeshire

Yr. 1: 54
Yr. 2: 38
Total: 92

Yr. 1: 2,055
Yr. 2: 1,212
Total: 3,267

Swansea

Yr. 1: 81
Yr. 2: 108
Total: 189

Yr. 1: 9,029
Yr. 2: 4,919
Total: 13,948

Neath Port Talbot (NB indicative and not verified figures)

Yr. 1: 54
Yr. 2: 58
Total: 112

Yr. 1: 3,200
Yr. 2: 4,365
Total: 7,565

Bridgend

Yr. 1: 11
Yr. 2: 15
Total: 26

Yr. 1: 485
Yr. 2: 773
Total: 1,258

Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan

Yr. 1: 127
Yr. 2: 112
Total: 239

Yr. 1: 5,976
Yr. 2: 2,892
Total: 8,868

Gwent

(Blaenau Gwent; Monmouthshire; Newport; Torfaen)

Yr. 1: 120
Yr. 2: 100
Total: 220

Yr. 1: 11,200
Yr. 2: 5,718
Total: 16,918

Rhondda Cynon Taf

Yr. 1: 95
Yr. 2: 58
Total: 153

Yr. 1: 4,694
Yr. 2: 1,589
Total: 6,283

Merthyr

Yr. 1: 22
Yr. 2: 24
Total: 46

Yr. 1: 807
Yr. 2: 541
Total: 1,348

Caerphilly

Yr. 1: 31
Yr. 2: 48
Total: 79

Yr. 1: 1,108
Yr. 2: 1,305
Total: 2,413