WQ94833 (e) Tabled on 04/11/2024

Will the Cabinet Secretary confirm how many students left secondary education in 2014 with the ability to confidently speak Welsh?

Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Education | Answered on 11/11/2024

Information is available on the number of GCSE Welsh First Language and Welsh Second Language entries by pupils in Year 11 or aged 15 years old. The table below shows how many learners were entered for GCSE Welsh First Language and Welsh Second Language in 2013/14, 2018/19 and 2022/23 (the latest final data available), and the percentage achieving A*-C.

 

Table 1: Number of GCSE Welsh First Language and Welsh Second Language entries and results, 2013/14, 2018/19 and 2022/23, Wales

 

2013/14

2018/19

2022/23

GCSE

Number of entries

Percentage achieving A*-C

Number of entries

Percentage achieving A*-C

Number of entries

Percentage achieving A*-C

Welsh First Language

5,550

73.1

5,385

73.6

6,130

72.9

Welsh Second Language

10,410

78.6

20,270

63.8

21,190

62.6

Source: Welsh Examinations Database, Welsh Government

 

 

 

 

Information is also available from the Pupil-Level Annual School Census about whether learners are able to speak Welsh, fluently or not. The table below shows how many Year 11 learners are able to speak Welsh, by fluency, for 2013/14, 2018/19 and 2023/24.

Note that the GCSE information for 2013/14 is based on 15-year-olds. The information for 2018/19 and 2022/23 is based on Year 11 learners.

 

Table 2: Number of learners in Year 11 able to speak Welsh by fluency, 2013/14, 2018/19 and 2023/24

 

2013/14

2018/19

2023/24

Can speak Welsh fluently

5,545

5,465

6,425

Can speak Welsh but not fluently

13,435

13,235

14,575

Total can speak Welsh

18,985

18,700

21,000

Source: Pupil-Level Annual School Census, Welsh Government