WEA courses

Exploring National Authors Day 2024: A Short Interactive Session In honour of National Authors Day on November 1st, 2024, this 2-hour interactive session offers participants a vibrant exploration of literature and authors. The session begins with an introduction to the history and significance of National Authors Day, emphasising its role in celebrating the achievements and impact of writers across cultures and genres. Participants will engage in interactive discussions and activities designed to showcase the diversity of literary works and authors. Through guided exploration of notable authors and their contributions, attendees will discover new perspectives and genres, fostering a deeper appreciation for the art of storytelling. The session will include opportunities for creative expression, such as writing prompts, collaborative storytelling exercises, or exploring excerpts from celebrated literary works. Participants will be encouraged to share their favourite books, authors, and literary influences, contributing to a dynamic exchange of ideas and recommendations. Throughout the session, facilitators will highlight the importance of supporting authors and literature, discussing ways to promote reading culture and literacy in communities. Interactive elements will encourage participants to actively participate and engage with the themes of creativity, imagination, and cultural diversity in literature. By the end of the session, participants will have gained insights into the global impact of authors and their works, inspired to continue exploring and celebrating literature beyond National Authors Day. This interactive session aims to ignite a passion for reading, storytelling, and the written word, fostering a community of enthusiastic readers and supporters of literary arts.

Explore the wonders of the moon with our Our Moon, Magnificent Desolation course. Learn about the moon's history, geology, and its significance in human culture. Ideal for astronomy enthusiasts and anyone interested in lunar science.

Start your week with a fun and feelgood hour of breathing, stretching and dancing. Keep fit, move and groove to some uplifting and energising music. During this five-week course you’ll learn some funky DISCO steps and complete some simple choreography. Dancing is proven to be good for your body and your mind. For improving your cognitive skills. Through learning a simple dance routine, you will: improve flexibility, minimize stress, increase energy levels and have better coordination, balance and strength. So come and release your inner disco diva and dance like no-one (or maybe everyone!) is watching.

How do the popular representations of smuggling in novels, songs, poems, paintings and film match up to the reality? We will look at some of the enduring romantic depictions alongside official records to consider the reality of life for people up and down the Essex coast in the 18th century engaged in smuggling or the fight against it.

In 1989, the songwriter Billy Joel was told by a friend that “Things are different today. You were a kid in the fifties, and everybody knows that nothing happened in the fifties.” As a result, he wrote ‘We didn’t start the fire’ to highlight how the post-war decades shaped the world we live in today. Join us for this fascinating 6 week course where you will look at the crucial events that occurred between 1940 and 1972 in USA and reflect about their significance back then as well as how it translates into today’s society.

Whether you are a seasoned drummer or just getting to grips with the basics, this practical class in African drumming will inspire you with the next steps in music and culture. We will be using the Djembe Drums which are a percussion instrument originating from West Africa. Drums will be provided for your use during the class. Our experienced tutor will guide you to play the Djembe drum as part of a group of friendly, like-minded people. You will learn to further develop your repertoire of notes, referred to as ‘bass,’ ‘tone’ and ‘slap’ to create different sounds. This is a great class to further your skills, de-stress and enjoy the music.

Learn basic communication skills with this ESOL speaking and listening course. This English course is for speakers of other languages. It will help you learn essential speaking and listening skills to be able to communicate in English. Entry 1 ESOL courses help people who are just starting to learn English. This course will help you gain confidence to speak about basic topics and understand core words. There are also reading and writing courses at this level. If you’re helping others access ESOL classes in the UK, you’ve come to the right place.

Build on your communication skills with this ESOL speaking and listening course. This English course for adults is aimed at speakers of other languages. It will help you improve your speaking and listening skills to communicate better in English. Entry 2 ESOL courses are right for you if you have basic speaking and listening skills in English. This course will help you gain confidence to speak about everyday topics and improve your comprehension. There are also reading and writing courses at this level. If you’re helping others access ESOL classes in the UK, you’ve come to the right place.

Develop confidence to read advanced texts in English. This ESOL course teaches you different reading techniques and helps expand your vocabulary. Learn how to improve your reading skills to get the most out of living in the UK. This ESOL level 1 reading course builds on skills you learnt at entry 3. You’ll continue to learn about different styles of text and gain tools to interpret them. This is an English course for adults. It is aimed at speakers of other languages. ESOL courses are divided into three areas: reading, writing, and speaking & listening. If you’re helping others find ESOL courses in the UK, you’ve come to the right place.

The "Step Into Care" level 1 study program is designed to provide foundational knowledge and skills for individuals pursuing a career in the care sector. Covering essential topics such as working in care, mental health awareness, stress awareness, infection prevention and control, and CV and interview preparation, this comprehensive program equips learners with the tools needed to succeed in social care roles. Ideal for beginners, this program fosters both personal and professional development in a supportive learning environment. This course is in partnership with the DWP and upon successful completion of the course you will be invited to an interview for a potential job role within care.