ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE

Overview

Rotherham Opportunities College is an independent specialist college providing individualised programmes for young people with learning difficulties and disabilities. The inspection judged overall effectiveness as ‘Good’, with ‘Outstanding’ ratings for behaviour and attitudes and personal development. Leaders have created a ‘highly inclusive learning environment’ where students develop independence and confidence, supported by a curriculum tailored to their specific needs.

Strengths

• Students learn in a ‘very calm and caring learning environment’ where staff use effective strategies to help them stay focused.
• The ‘personal, social and emotional curriculum is a particular area of strength’, with students learning about safety, healthy relationships, and British values.
• Tutors plan lessons in a ‘logical order’ and use creative methods, such as linking English tasks to real-life expenses, to support understanding.
• There is ‘comprehensive support’ for work experience and internships, with all students on supported internship programmes progressing into paid employment over the last three years.
• Leaders demonstrate a ‘high level of care’ for staff, ensuring a good work-life balance and providing access to counselling.

Areas to improve

• Provide students with helpful written feedback to help them improve their work further and prevent them from repeating the same mistakes.
• Ensure that staff consistently check students’ understanding of topics before moving on to the next activity.
• Ensure staff produce better quality learning resources which reflect the age of the students, as some current resources are not age appropriate.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.