Welcome to Rotherham College of Arts & Technology

Purpose-built and extending to 50 acres, the college farm at Rother Valley Campus, Dinnington, provides students within the Division of Land Based Studies with a realistic environment to learn in.

With a range of small and large livestock, from rabbits and stick insects to sheep and pigs, students get to work with a variety of animals. The farm also boasts an animal house, dog grooming parlour, glasshouses and a professional floristry suite so that it can provide a balance with theory lessons in a number of subject areas such as animal care, horse care, floristry and horticulture. Staff and students who work on the farm look forward to welcoming new lambs onto the farm each year and in January 2006 there were celebrations as they welcomed into the world the first baby goats ever to be born on the Rother Valley Campus farm.

Animal Focus

Four new additions have been introduced to Rother Valley Campus, their names are Stavros, Sarah, Nancy and Nasha. The four baby goats were born on the 8th March and pose as an important, yet rewarding challenge for animal care students as they take on the responsibility of caring for the new arrivals.

Tutors are keen to encourage students to take a “hands on” approach with new-borns and as Andy Jonas, Animal Care Tutor explained, “from day one the students are made aware that the animals are their responsibility. Every decision they make has to be thought through carefully.”

Andy added that this empowerment enables the group to “recognise their achievements” as the animals begin to grow and develop over time.

Sue Binks, Curriculum Manager for Land Based Studies, was also very excited about the births and commented on how "it's a great learning experience for our students to be able to see new life at first hand".