ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Rotherham Opportunities College

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Inspection dates: 26 to 28 February 2025

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Provision for students with high needs Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Information about this provider

Rotherham Opportunities College is an independent specialist college. It provides education and support for young people with learning difficulties and disabilities who require specialist individualised programmes. At the time of the inspection, there were 69 students enrolled on education programmes, all of whom had education, health and care (EHC) plans. Students follow one of six pathways. Seven students were on the opportunity pathway, 12 were on the bridging pathway, 14 were on connecting pathway, 14 were on the employability pathway, 12 were on the work- ready pathway and 10 were on a supported internship programme, placed with nine different employers. 26 to 28 February 2025

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Students learn in a very calm and caring learning environment. Tutors and coaches help students to stay focused, listen and concentrate on tasks in lessons. If students are struggling, staff use different strategies, including introducing fidget toys and distraction techniques, or giving students time out.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Students take part in a broad range of high-quality volunteering activities at, for example, a country house and at the Canal and River Trust. Students complete tasks such as clearing pathways for the public to use and helping to look after wildlife in conservation areas. Students enjoy the work that they do.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Students successfully learn about important topics on how to keep themselves safe. Staff teach them about what a healthy relationship is, how to stay safe online, British values, the potential risks of extremism and radicalisation and keeping themselves healthy. Students say that they feel safe and know that staff are safe people to talk to.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Students received valuable and comprehensive careers information as well as help to write a curriculum vitae and to complete application forms for jobs. Staff complete vocational profiles with students and hold one-on-one meetings with them to monitor their progress towards their goals. An external careers provider provides impartial advice to students. Students on the supported internship receive good support from job coaches and workplace mentors.

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better?

Leaders and managers have created a curriculum offer that meets the needs of students with high needs. They have created a highly inclusive learning environment, and their aspirations for what students can achieve are high. Most students develop in independence and confidence. At the newly acquired house, students learn skills to enable them to be more independent. For example, they learn how to wash their clothes, make meals and clean. Students on the supported internship programme are placed on a variety of placements, including at schools, care homes and retail settings. Students thrive during their time at the college, and for the last three years all students on supported internship programmes have progressed into paid employment.

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better?

Tutors identify accurately the starting points for students. They assess students over a six-week period, identifying what students can and cannot do. They use information from EHC plans to place each student on the most appropriate pathway and set relevant targets. Tutors carefully plan lessons which help students meet their targets. Tutors continue to monitor and record accurately the progress students make, and share their achievements with students. Students are able to communicate their targets and can talk confidently about their progress.

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better?

Tutors plan and deliver the curriculum in a logical order, which helps students to 26 to 28 February 2025

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learn successfully about new topics. For example, on the independent living skills course, students learn how to wash and iron clothes appropriately. They begin by learning what various symbols on clothing mean and identifying where to find the washing and ironing instructions on items of clothing. They then put their learning into practice by putting clothes into the washing machine at the correct temperature and drying and ironing them in line with instructions.

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Tutors are creative in their teaching. When teaching English to students on the work-ready pathway, they link students’ long-term aspirations, such as gaining employment and living independently, with the learning tasks that they ask the students to complete. For example, they provide students with examples of personalised expenses such as mobile phone charges and rent, which students have to read and demonstrate their understanding of by answering questions accurately. Students also develop their mathematical skills by calculating monthly outgoings.

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Most tutors and learning coaches provide useful feedback to students to help them develop their knowledge and skills. In catering, they provide individual verbal feedback to students on their work. For example, when students have overcooked food items, tutors discuss where they went wrong and how they can get it right next time. In a few instances, written feedback does not provide students with a record of how to improve their work, which means they cannot revisit their work to check that they do not repeat the same mistakes.

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Tutors and learning coaches use a range of assessment methods effectively to check students’ understanding. They observe students completing learning activities, use quizzes, and skilfully ask questions. They allow students sufficient time to process questions and to answer themselves without answering for them. When students do not know something, learning coaches skilfully use scenarios to help students to understand. In a few instances, learning coaches do not check the understanding of students sufficiently well. As a result, students complete tasks that they do not fully understand.

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Leaders and managers have substantially increased the number of therapists that they work with. These include physiotherapists, art, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists. Therapists have had a positive input into planning the curriculum. They work closely with teachers and support staff to develop a range of resources and activities to meet students’ very specific needs. For example, they work with staff to improve students’ mobility, such as their ability to climb stairs.

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Leaders and managers have an accurate understanding of the college’s strengths and few areas for improvement. They have worked hard to improve the provision while focusing on the care and well-being of students and staff. The personal, social and emotional curriculum is a particular area of strength. All students are provided with high-quality work placements and volunteering opportunities in a variety of settings which are aligned to students’ aspirations. Students embrace these opportunities and look forward to their different activities, often enjoying working with members of the community. 26 to 28 February 2025

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Leaders and managers are considerate of staff workload and demonstrate a high level of care. Staff attend daily briefings, which aid communication and have access to the college counsellor. Staff speak very positively about the support they receive from leaders and managers who ensure they have a good work-life balance.

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Staff put in place comprehensive support for students to have a successful internship or work experience. They work closely with employers to ensure that employers can understand and meet the needs of the students. If a placement does not work out, they quickly move the learner to a new placement with improved chances of success in gaining employment. Staff are ambitious for learners to experience work to help them plan their next steps to move into paid employment or a role in a voluntary capacity. Currently, in the region of 70 learners or just under half are having or have planned work experience in a range of settings such as supermarkets, libraries, coffee shops, pet shops, motor vehicle related placements, hotels and restaurants. Staff have created a range of helpful resources to support employers to take learners with high needs on work experience. These include a useful guide on working with learners who are neurodiverse, and if required training

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Learners produce work of an appropriate standard. Work in horticulture is of a good standard. Learners demonstrate that they know how to plant containers for display, and the importance of customer care and how to select a tree to plant by the root stock.

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In a few cases teachers use resources that are not age appropriate. Managers recognise this and are taking action to ensure staff produce better quality learning resources which reflect the age of the students.

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Governance arrangements are effective. Governors have a varied and comprehensive range of skills and expertise, which they use to challenge staff about the student experience and quality of education. They receive succinct reports prior to board meetings, which enable them to prepare and ask questions to challenge effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Provide students with helpful feedback to help them to improve their work further and to prevent them from repeating the same mistakes.  Ensure that staff consistently check students’ understanding of topics before moving on to the next activity. 26 to 28 February 2025

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Provider details

Address My Place St Ann’s Road Rotherham South Yorkshire S65 1PH

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Dr Perdita Mousley

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Provider details

Provider type Independent specialist college

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 6 to 8 December 2022

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 26 to 28 February 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of quality, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. The inspection was carried out using the further education and skills inspection handbook and took into account all relevant provision at the provider. Inspectors collected a wide range of evidence to inform judgements, including visiting learning sessions, scrutinising students’ work, seeking the views of students, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider’s documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Hayley Lomas, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Jacquie Brown His Majesty’s Inspector Sarah Simpkins Ofsted Inspector 26 to 28 February 2025

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for students of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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