Skills Bank Funding Matches College’s Ambition to Strengthen SEND Provision in South Yorkshire
Rotherham Opportunities College (ROC), a not-for-profit education provider supporting young people aged 16–25 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), is set to strengthen its offer and expand its impact across South Yorkshire thanks to grants from South Yorkshire Skills Bank.
Funded by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), the grants will contribute towards a suite of leadership and workforce development programmes at the College, helping staff build the skills required to support growing student numbers and deliver outstanding education and care to vulnerable learners with a range of complex needs.
ROC currently supports 70 students and employs 48 staff, with over half living in the Rotherham area. As the number of young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) continues to rise regionally, demand for specialist provision like that offered by ROC is increasing rapidly. With the help of the training funded by Skills Bank, ROC aims to build its internal capacity, cultivate leadership talent, and continue its mission to empower students to lead independent, fulfilling lives.
Fliss Miller, Director of Skills at SYMCA, said:
“We’re proud to support Rotherham Opportunities College in developing its staff and expanding its crucial services. By our investment in their leadership and mentoring training, we’re helping to ensure that more young people with SEND in South Yorkshire can access high-quality, specialist education tailored to their needs.”
The training programmes include Senior Leader Training to support strategic growth and organisational culture, College Manager development to enhance middle leadership and performance management, as well as qualifications in education, training, and mentoring to support career progression among frontline staff.
Dr Perdita Mousley, Principal of Rotherham Opportunities College, said:
“We are extremely grateful for the support from SYMCA. Our recent Ofsted report praised our inclusive environment and recognised that leaders and managers have created a curriculum that is well matched to the abilities and ambitions of students with high needs. It also highlighted our strong aspirations for what students can achieve.
However, we know that continued development is essential to improve our effectiveness further. This investment in staff training ensures we have strong, confident leaders and a motivated team of educators and learning coaches ready to meet the growing demand and help every student thrive.”
The College, which also supports community groups and works closely with local partners including special schools and businesses, has recently expanded its reach beyond Rotherham to welcome students from Barnsley and Doncaster. It continues to play a key role in supporting Rotherham’s strategic plan to enhance opportunities for children and young people with SEND.
By enabling staff to develop their careers internally—through promotion and targeted training—ROC is building a sustainable workforce capable of delivering long-term impact for young people, families, and communities across South Yorkshire.