2022 - 2023 Statistics

Learn Welsh Statistics 2022-2023

Learn Welsh programme data is managed by the National Centre for Learning Welsh.

A central database collates information on all learners as they register online to follow a course. This information includes details about the learner (e.g. name, address, date of birth) and the course (e.g. level, location, learning intensity).

The Centre started publishing data for the academic year 2017-2018.

The data reflects all activity of the Welsh Language Learning sector, including community learning, workplace learning and courses for specific audiences e.g. families. The data also includes a range of learning methods including face to face learning, virtual learning, blended learning and self-study.

Publishing 2022-2023 Data

This data is for the 2022-2023 academic year.

These statistics relate to all courses that ended between 1 August 2022 and 31 July 2023.
2017-2018 was the national baseline, we can therefore make year on year comparisons thereafter.
Work Welsh courses run from April to March. For the purpose of these statistics, only courses that have come to an end by July 2023 have been included.
2022-2023 data compared to 2021-2022 data includes more learners learning at higher levels.
There has been an increase in learner numbers year on year since 2017-2018.

(2019-2020 is an exception with a significant increase in the numbers of learners

following the the taster level self-study courses at the beginning of the pandemic period).

Learner ethnicity data is published for the first time this year.
Learning method data is published for the first time this year.

Data Period
1 August 2022 - 31 July 2023

Publication Date
Tuesday 2 April 2024

Download 2022-2023 Data (Open Data Source)

Number of unique learners

The number of unique learners counts every learner only once, regardless of the number of courses they have attended during the year.

There has been an increase in learner numbers year on year since 2017-2018.

The year 2019-2020 is an exception where there were 17,505 unique learners (this is the exceptional year when the number of learners following the taster level self-study courses increased at the start of the pandemic.)

In 2022-2023, there were 16,905 unique learners, an increase of 11% in comparison to 2021-2022.

Number of learning activities

Learners can attend more than one learning activity at various levels and intensities. For example, a single learner can attend a 170 - 259 hour course at Entry level and an additional 'per hour' course at Foundation level during the period in question. This is considered as two learning activities.

2022-2023 learners attended 29,485 learning activities, an increase of 8% when compared to 2021-2022.

Learning Levels

Courses are offered at five levels within the Learn Welsh programme.

In 2022-2023, 60% of learners were at Entry level. 16% were at Foundation level and 24% at Intermediate or Advanced levels (including Proficiency).
Rates are very consistent with 2021-2022.

Age of Learners

The age of learners is calculated from the first day of the academic year. For 2022-2023, the age of the learner is calculated from 1 August 2022. The learner is responsible for presenting their date of birth.

In 2022-2023, there are 14,275 learners within the working age group (16-64 years old), which is 84% of all learners that have noted their date of birth.
In 2022-2023, there are 2,170 learners within the 16-24 age group, an increase of 9% when compared to 2021-2022.

Learning Method

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all Welsh language learning provision was transferred to virtual courses. This pattern more or less continued throughout the following 2 years of Covid measures. New patterns of working were established, patterns that were completely new to the Welsh Language Learning sector. The service was successfully maintained and extended, and there was an increase in Welsh learning and an increase in learning activities.

The Centre is proud of the wide selection now available to learners, including face to face, virtual, blended (virtual and in-person) and self-study methods. The numbers of learners taking advantage of the Welsh Language Learning opportunities have grown steadily since the Centre was established in 2016. For the first time this year we are publishing data on the various learning methods offered by the sector.

In 2022-2023 25% of our learners followed face to face courses, 44% followed virtual courses, 5% followed blended courses, 24% followed self-study courses and 3% followed residential courses

Ethnicity

When registering, there is an option for learners to note their ethnicity. The field is not mandatory, it is possible to choose 'refuse information' or leave the field blank.

In 2022-2023, 85% of unique learners entered information about their ethnicity.
4% of these learners recorded diverse ethnicities with 96% noting their ethnicity as white.