Information for Parents, Guardians and Carers

Rotherham Opportunities College was created to support young adults aged 16-25 to prepare for adulthood. Our mission is to help our students to live as independently as possible. Every teaching pathway is tailored to meet the unique and individual needs of each student.

Our varied curriculum provides a personalised learning experience for every student, helping them to achieve their aspirations. Every student works towards their own personal learning goals and benefits from a bespoke timetable, tailored to reflect their needs. All learning pathways include an element of pastoral care.

As students progress in their learning journey, they may have the chance to take part in work experience placements and internship programmes. In many cases our internships can lead to paid employment.

Of course life at Rotherham Opportunities isn’t just about working hard but enjoying new experiences. Students are encouraged to participate in vocational learning through our daily lunch clubs, residential outings and our end year prom which is provided at no cost to students, thanks to the generosity of local businesses who support our work.

Applying to Rotherham Opportunities College

To apply for a place at Rotherham Opportunities College, please download and complete this application form. You can also arrange a visit to the college by telephoning us on 01709 242585.

Do Students Pay Tuition Fees?

In most cases students’ tuition fees are paid by your local authority, meaning that there is no direct cost to the student or family for tuition fees.

What Happens After a Student Applies?

We will contact you to discuss your application. Please note, that although we try and support as many students as possible, our services are in high demand and our places are limited.

Travelling to Rotherham Opportunities College

Travel arrangements to and from college are typically provided by parents and carers, although depending upon the circumstances of the student, some help may be available from the local authority. As students progress through college, where appropriate, we also provide independent travel training, helping students to use public transport confidently and independently.

Monitoring Progress

We encourage parents and carers to play an active role in student development. We also host two parents/carers evenings each year, giving students the opportunity to discuss their progress with parents, carers and tutors. Our parents/carers evenings for the 2024/25 term will take place on 23rd January and 19th June. You will have the opportunity to arrange a face-to-face meeting, by telephone or discuss progress via an online meeting.

Useful Resources:

The Rotherham Parent Carer Forum is registered charity which provides support and information to the parents and carers of young people from birth to 25 years around special educational needs and disability matters. The organisation works closely with Health and Local Authority services in partnership and also provides peer support to help parents and carers share best practice and concerns and ideas. There is a lot of helpful and useful information available via the forum’s website.

SEND Rotherham Local Offer

The Rotherham Local Offer provides useful information about the help, advice and information about the services available for your child or young person from birth to 25 years with a Special Educational Need or Disability (SEND). More information available here.