WEA courses

As built, canals linked towns and cities with the remote corners of the English countryside. Built largely to carry coal to fuel the Industrial Revelation, they are used today for pleasure purposes. Canals offer the opportunity to improve health and wellbeing, whether walking along the towpath or travelling along in a barge. Come and join this illustrated course where you will develop your historical / technical skills by finding and exploring a number of sources about the canals. Your tutor will guide you towards sources which provide information on the physical design of your local canal, the industry it was built to serve and the individuals who worked tirelessly to make a living. There will be a study of the Trent & Mersey, Peak Forest and Somersetshire Coal Canals, together with a review of the impact on the canals of the Napoleonic War. The course will look at some of the features of canals, such as Bridges, Tunnels, Aqueducts, Reservoirs, Gauging Docks, Weighing Machines, Gauging Stations and Winding Holes. This course is suitable for learners with a previous knowledge of the subject To note down key points, it is suggested that you bring a notebook.

Take your speaking and listening skills to the next level with this ESOL course. Improving your communication skills will make you feel more confident interacting with others in the UK. ESOL entry 3 courses build on skills you learnt at entry 2. Gain confidence speaking in new and familiar situations and learn tools for effective communication. This is an English course for adults. It is aimed at speakers of other languages. ESOL classes are divided into three areas: reading, writing, and speaking & listening. If you’re helping others access ESOL courses in the UK, you’ve come to the right place.

Discover the changes in our food with time: how it was cooked, how it was eaten, where it came from, and how it affected our society and language, from the early Stone Age to this century, with an emphasis on British history. Find out which of our table manners date back to the Middle Ages, and how some of the most up-to-date and expensive restaurants are re-inventing Stone Age techniques; what advice from the fourteenth century still holds good today, and which most certainly does not. Each session will include some adapted recipes that you may (or may not) wish to try for yourself.

Enjoy your ESOL studies online with this evening ESOL course with a qualified tutor. This course looks at how to use ESOL in your day to day life and in work here in the UK. The course will run for 14 weeks and give you a safe space to practise your speaking, listening, reading and writing to advance your skills and confidence. This course is aimed at people who work during the day and want to upskill in the evenings or use it as a top up for your ESOL classes. This course is part 2 of 2 courses that will concentrate on beginners ESOL skills for learners going into entry 1or entry 2 in September and are wanting to upskill further. The classes will revolve around the skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing. The class is run by a qualified and experienced tutor who will help you develop, improve and provide feedback throughout the course.

Want to take on a new challenge and learn a new language? Like to holiday in Spain or Spanish speaking countries or just want a new hobby, then this is the course for you. This is the introductory course which will run for 6 weeks, if you would like to carry on with your classes then the full 12 week course will be following this one. The course will be run by a fully qualified tutor who has experience teaching Spanish online. The course will be 6 weeks long to give you enough time to enjoy your taster and get ready for the full course that follows. Start your journey to speaking Spanish today!

This friendly creative writing course will invite you to enter into relationship with your bodies and surroundings. The session will be held in a supportive way and will integrate some simple meditation (adaptable to all bodies), prompts for creative and reflective expression through writing, and even some environmental science! You will be guided to a holistic understanding of person and place. This course is ideal for people who like to write and to contemplate how to live more skilfully as individuals, as a community and in relationship with their surroundings. There will be time for sharing small parts of your writing towards the end of the workshop but no pressure, it’s about an unfolding individual/shared creative process and participants need to feel at ease to write freely.

In this course, we will focus on an extraordinary artist, well-loved from today’s public: Vincent van Gogh. You will learn about his Dutch origins, his interests and friendships while in Paris, the dreams he nurtured in Arles, and, his last months in Auvers-sur-Oise. As we study the main phases in his life, we will study key examples of his paintings and drawings to better understand his artistic identity. What was the purpose of painting for him? Why did he paint with bright colours and thick brushstrokes? We will seek to understand van Gogh’s art not simply in light of his own mindset, but also in light of the wider cultural context he was part of.

This 10-week course is a re - run of the Autumn course and offers a unique exploration of British history by examining the lives and contributions of ten remarkable women who left indelible marks on society, culture, and politics. From ancient warriors to pioneering scientists and influential writers, each woman represents a distinct era in British history, shedding light on the struggles, achievements, and societal changes of their times. Throughout the course, we will delve into the lives of these extraordinary women, analysing their impact on British society and their enduring legacies. By studying their stories, learners will gain a deeper understanding of key historical events, social movements, and cultural shifts that have shaped the fabric of Britain.

This is the third course of six aimed at elementary (A1/A2) level learners. This six-week course is for those whose first language is NOT English and will practice all four major skills in each session to develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Although this is a low-level English course, learners should be able to recognise sounds of the English letters and read simple lines of text prior to joining so that they would not struggle. Lessons will be delivered face-to-face using a range of teacher led and freer interactive activities to build learners’ proficiency and confidence in the English language.

The course aims to encourage learners to attend art exhibitions and/or musical events with a greater background knowledge in order to enhance appreciation. If actual attendance is not possible, to undertake independent research and hence, enjoy a more active and cultural lifestyle. The class also offers an opportunity for learners to interact socially with like- minded people in intellectual pursuits. It also encourages learners to acquire critical and analytical skills through debate and discussion. The course covers all styles and periods from the Renaissance to the present day. It is multi media to accommodate diverse learning styles and preferences. It is suitable for beginners and connoisseurs alike.