What Thomas Rotherham College does

Thomas Rotherham College is a publicly funded sixth form college located in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England, operating under the Inspire Learning Trust multi-academy trust since November 2017. It traces its institutional history to Rotherham Grammar School, founded in 1483 by Thomas Rotherham, Archbishop of York, and was reorganised in 1967 as one of the first three Sixth Form Colleges in England. The college serves approximately 1,600 full-time students aged 16-18, delivering Level 3 qualifications across more than 25 A Level subjects, BTEC vocational programmes, T-Levels in Health and Early Years, GCSE English/Maths/Science retakes, and structured sports academies in Basketball, Football, Netball, Rugby, and Sports Elite. It also operates ancillary services including adult language classes (French, German, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Portuguese), bespoke business language tuition, the Inspire Sports Centre (open to the public), five dedicated bus routes (681-685), and a careers programme staffed by Level 6 qualified advisers.

The technology stack centres on Microsoft's ecosystem — Microsoft 365 for student connectivity and Azure AD SSO for staff/student portals — supplemented by King's Interhigh, a third-party international online learning platform that powers the Flexible Learning Centre (FLC) provision for EHCP students unable to access mainstream college. TRConnect is the college's proprietary mental health and wellbeing platform implementing a stepped-care model inspired by the NHS Five Steps to Wellbeing, with self-help resources, peer mentor support, counselling, and integration with NHS Mental Health Support Teams (With Me in Mind).

Revenue is predominantly derived from UK government funding for 16-18 provision, supplemented by fee-based adult education, sports centre memberships (£10-£50), dedicated bus service passes (£114-£395 annually), and sponsorship/advertising income from local businesses. Students are recruited through open evenings, school liaison programmes across 50+ partner schools in Rotherham and Sheffield, taster days, online applications, and community engagement channels. The college has been rated Ofsted Outstanding and was selected in 2025 as one of six founding Evidence Partner Colleges in the Education Endowment Foundation's 16-19 Evidence Partnership.

Name

Thomas Rotherham College

Legal name

Thomas Rotherham College

Website

https://trc.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Thomas Rotherham College is a publicly funded sixth form college in Rotherham, UK, serving approximately 1,600 students aged 16-18 with A Level, BTEC, T-Level, and GCSE qualifications, plus sports academies and adult language classes. It operates within the Inspire Learning Trust multi-academy trust and is rated Ofsted Outstanding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotherham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Education: The college receives government funding for educating 16-18 year old students, providing A Level and Level 3 vocational qualifications including T Levels, BTECs, and GCSE retakes. This is the primary revenue stream.
2. Adult Language Classes: Evening language classes for adults in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Greek, and Portuguese. Classes run for 20-25 weeks with fees of £230 (25 weeks) or £199 (20 weeks).
3. Bus Services: Dedicated bus services covering multiple routes in the Rotherham area with annual passes (£395 Y12, £376 Y13) and termly options. Additional reduced rates for T-Level Childcare students.
4. Sports Centre Memberships: Gym membership available to students and public with term-time only access (£10) or unlimited access including evenings, weekends, and holidays (£50). Bursary students can enquire about options.
5. Sponsorship and Advertising: Partnership opportunities with local businesses for sports team sponsorship, advertising on college screens, event sponsorship, and professional learning day sponsorship reaching 400+ staff.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Thomas Rotherham College is a sixth form college providing full-time post-16 education for around 1,600 students aged 16-18, offering more than 25 A Level subjects, BTEC vocational qualifications, T Level technical qualifications, and GCSE English, Maths and Science retakes. It also runs evening adult language classes in French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish, bespoke business language tuition, and a Sports Academy programme (basketball, football, netball, rugby, women's football, sports elite). Complementary services include the Flexible Learning Centre for EHCP students delivered through King's Interhigh, the TRConnect mental health and wellbeing platform, an Inspire Sports Centre open to the public, dedicated college bus routes, careers guidance, and safeguarding services.

Product overview

Thomas Rotherham College is a sixth form college offering a comprehensive educational portfolio for students aged 16-18 and adults. The core offerings include over 25 A Level subjects across humanities, sciences, and creative disciplines, alongside Level 3 BTEC vocational qualifications in applied fields (Business, Science, Law, Health, IT, Media, Sport). The college also provides T Level Technical Qualifications in Health and Education/Early Years. Specialised pathways include Sports Academies (Basketball, Football, Netball, Rugby, Women's Football, Sports Elite), the Flexible Learning Centre (an EHCP-supported online learning provision via King's Interhigh), and adult language programmes (French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish). Student support services include TRConnect (mental health and wellbeing), safeguarding, careers guidance, and dedicated bus services. The college operates under Inspire Learning Trust and is rated Ofsted Outstanding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TRConnect: Student mental health and wellbeing support service with a stepped care model including self-help, peer mentor support, counselling, and partnerships with NHS mental health services.
• Flexible Learning Centre (FLC)
• Inspire Sports

Quantifiable outcome

• Students progress to universities including Russell Group and Oxbridge, prestigious apprenticeships, and high-quality employment
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• SMH Haywoods (SMH Group)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 January 2026SMH Haywoods is the official shirt sponsor for the TRC Football Academy. Their generous support enables the college to provide players with professional kits reflecting the high standards strived for both on and off the pitch.
• Rotherham Sitwell RotaryminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 November 2025Rotherham Sitwell Rotary has offered a Bursary for Nursing annually since the Covid-19 pandemic to a TRC student progressing to local university to study nursing. The 2025 recipient is Izabela Nawara.
• Education Endowment Foundation (EEF)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2025Thomas Rotherham College is one of six founding Evidence Partner Colleges in EEF's new 16-19 Evidence Partnership. TRC will support other FE and sixth-form colleges in translating robust research into practical teaching improvements, sharing evidence-based resources, building regional networks, and addressing attainment gaps for socio-economically disadvantaged learners.
• With Me in Mind (NHS Mental Health Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWith Me in Mind works with TRC to provide evidence-based preventative early intervention for students with mild to moderate mental health needs through Educational Mental Health Practitioners, workshops, and 1:1 sessions.
• King's InterhighcoreTechnology or IntegrationInternational online learning platform used for the Flexible Learning Centre (FLC) provision, enabling students with EHCP to access live online lessons both in college and at home with all lessons recorded and archived.
• Parkgate FCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParkgate FC partnership for the TRC Football Academy providing students with competitive football opportunities and pathway development.
• NHS Mental Health Support TeamscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with NHS Mental Health Support Teams for student mental health services including TRConnect stepped care model implementation.
• Voluntary Action RotherhamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership providing students with voluntary work opportunities and connections to external support services.
• Inspire Learning TrustflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-academy trust that Thomas Rotherham College joined in November 2017. Includes Winterhill School, Oakwood Park Academy, and Sitwell Junior School. Provides shared governance, professional learning, and collaborative opportunities across the trust.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Xaverian College: Major Manchester sixth form college delivering A Levels and BTECs to ~2,000 16–18 students. Comparable to TRC in regional scale, academic breadth and exclusive focus on 16–18 learners.
• New City College: One of the five other founding colleges of the EEF 16–19 Evidence Partnership alongside TRC; a large UK further education college operating across multiple campuses with comparable Level 3 and vocational provision for 16–18 learners.
• Exeter College: Another founding EEF 16–19 Evidence Partner College, a large regional FE/sixth form college delivering A Levels, BTECs and T Levels to 16–18 cohorts — directly comparable in mission, curriculum mix and sector-leadership positioning to TRC.
• East Lancashire Learning Group: Founding EEF 16–19 Evidence Partner College and a multi-site further education provider delivering A Levels and vocational pathways; comparable to TRC as a regional post-16 provider with similar scale and qualification mix.
• Middlesbrough College: Founding EEF 16–19 Evidence Partner College, a major North-East FE college offering A Levels, T Levels and vocational qualifications to 16–18 cohorts. Highly comparable in size, curriculum breadth and sector positioning to TRC.
• Truro and Penwith College: Founding EEF 16–19 Evidence Partner College, a regional sixth form/FE provider delivering A Levels, BTECs and T Levels across Cornwall. Comparable to TRC in operating model, age-cohort focus and EEF leadership status.
• Hills Road Sixth Form College: One of the UK's largest and highest-performing sixth form colleges, offering 30+ A Levels and a wide vocational range to ~2,500 16–18 students. Closely comparable to TRC in specialist 16–18 focus, academic breadth and Ofsted-recognised quality.
• Greenhead College: Large Yorkshire-based sixth form college serving ~2,500 16–18 students across a wide A Level and BTEC portfolio. Comparable to TRC in regional scale, academic breadth and specialism in post-16 education.
• Long Road Sixth Form College: Cambridge-based sixth form college delivering A Levels and BTECs to ~2,000 16–18 students. Comparable to TRC as a dedicated 16–18 provider with a strong academic offering and similar student-support infrastructure.
• Loreto College: Large Manchester-based sixth form college offering a broad A Level, BTEC and vocational portfolio to ~2,000 16–18 students. Comparable to TRC in scale, curriculum mix and specialism in post-16 academic and vocational education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ThomasRotherhamCollegeAlumni
• Xx.com/thomrothcol

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Thomas Rotherham College