ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE, Rotherham
ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE is a special school for pupils aged 16 to 25 in Rotherham. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE in detail
ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE in its own words
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include swimming and drama.
Coming up: an open day on Saturday 30 January 2027 and an open evening on Thursday 22 April 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Rotherham
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE are Newman School (0.8 miles); Kelford School (2.2 miles, Good); Abbey School (2.9 miles, Outstanding); and The Willows School (3.9 miles).
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Rotherham Station To Sheffield, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Broom Valley Road/Brunswick Road (at), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 338 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Rotherham (146), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Source: Ofsted, further education and skills inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Rotherham Opportunities College creates an inclusive, supportive environment where young people with complex needs develop real independence and confidence. The college excels at providing high-quality work experience and volunteering opportunities tailored to each student's goals, with an impressive track record of students progressing into paid employment. Teaching is creative and practical, linking learning directly to students' aspirations for independent living and employment.
Key Strengths
- Outstanding behaviour, attitudes and personal development in a calm, caring learning environment
- Excellent work experience and volunteering opportunities with proven outcomes - all supported internship students progressed into paid employment over three years
- Strong curriculum design with logical progression and creative teaching that links learning to students' real-life aspirations
- Comprehensive support from increased number of specialist therapists including physiotherapists, speech and language, art and occupational therapists
- Effective leadership with high aspirations for student achievement and strong staff wellbeing practices
Areas for Improvement
- Written feedback on student work should provide clearer guidance on how to improve and prevent mistakes being repeated
- Staff should consistently check students' understanding of topics before moving to the next activity to ensure learning is secure
- Some learning resources need to be more age-appropriate for the students using them
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with students receiving comprehensive education on healthy relationships, online safety, British values and recognising extremism risks.
Extracurricular Activities
Work experience placements across supermarkets, libraries, coffee shops, pet shops, motor vehicle related businesses, hotels and restaurants; volunteering at country house and Canal and River Trust; supported internship programme with nine different employers
Rotherham Opportunities College is an independent specialist college providing education and support for young people with learning difficulties and disabilities. The college has been rated Good overall, with outstanding ratings for behaviour and attitudes and personal development.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE
Friends of ROC Need You - Help Us Make a Difference
8 Jul 2026
Friends of ROC Need You - Help Us Make a Difference
8 Jul 2026
Pride in the Park: ROC Students Celebrate Pride Month at Clifton Park 🏳️🌈
25 Jun 2026
Pride in the Park: ROC Students Celebrate Pride Month at Clifton Park 🏳️🌈
25 Jun 2026
ROC Launches Shoebox Appeal to Support Shiloh Rotherham
17 Jun 2026
ROC Launches Shoebox Appeal to Support Shiloh Rotherham
17 Jun 2026
From ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE is in Rotherham; for families living there:
Apply to Rotherham for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 23
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 9
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 14 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt.
7 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Rotherham is 13 (the median across 128 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
Area Demand Pressure - Rotherham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Rotherham
Across Rotherham council
Places available
3,667
Applications
2,933
Got 1st preference
92.4%
Got preferred school
97.3%
All secondary applications across Rotherham council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
Special educational needs provision
ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: Get Information about Schools (GIAS), Department for Education.
Questions parents ask about ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE
What is ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE's Ofsted rating?
ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2025.
What is the catchment area for ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE?
No fixed boundary. When ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE is oversubscribed, Rotherham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Does ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE have specialist SEN provision?
ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE?
Apply through Rotherham's coordinated admissions process, naming ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 14 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt. 7 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Rotherham is 13 (the median across 128 schools, same distance and years).
Where is ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE?
ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE is at My Place, Rotherham, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S65 1PH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)