'Highly motivated' students equal highest possible rating for college

Thomas Rotherham College was given the rating – the highest grade possible – after the Ofsted team noted students' “exemplary behaviour”, adding:

“They benefit from high-quality teaching which enables them to make swift and secure progress.

“Students are highly-motivated to learn.”

Ofsted inspectors visiting TRC between March 19 and 22 this year also rated the college 'outstanding' in five out of six areas – the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, leadership and education, and programmes for young people – while it was deemed 'good' for the category of personal development.

The college on Moorgate Road – which provides A levels and vocational courses for 16 to 19-year-olds – was previously rated 'good' overall after an inspection in October 2019.

In the 2024 report published earlier this month, inspectors observed: “Attendance is high and students are punctual to lessons.”

Teachers at the college, which is part of the Inspire Learning Trust, provided “good support” for students with high needs and additional learning needs, and “most students” benefited from work-related learning preparing them for the transition to university or employment.

Leaders and managers were “aware of the workload and well-being of staff”, with employees able to approach leaders and managers to share any concerns.

Joel Wirth, TRC principal, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to receive such an exceptional report from Ofsted.

“We’re delighted that the hard work over recent years of so many valued colleagues has resulted in so glowing a report.

“We are extremely proud of our staff and their collective efforts.

“But we are most proud of our students and what this has to say about them.

"They are the real strength of TRC.”

David Naisbitt, chief executive officer of the Inspire Learning Trust, added: “We are proud of TRC and of the service we offer to Rotherham.

“Like all schools in the trust, TRC will always be committed to this town and its young people, and this report is for our whole community.”