WEA courses

Studying online is a fun and effective way to learn. This course will teach you to use Canvas so that you can get the most out of WEA courses. You’ll learn digital skills to support you to study WEA online courses. This Canvas course is ideal for you if you’re considering taking a WEA course but feel unsure of your digital skills. It’s appropriate for complete beginners, so don’t worry if this is new to you.

We will explore the developments in Modern 20th century sculpture through the work of a selection of women sculptors. Then we will consider the way these sculptors experimented with shape and form, in figurative representational and abstract ways which often pushed boundaries and set precedents. We will analyse the sculptor's styles and choice/use of different mediums. We will also consider the wider chronological context of sculpture and how these sculptors relate to the developments. This course is for learners who have an interest in Art and a curiosity for this three-dimensional medium. The course material will cover a range of 20th century material, making comparisons and contrasts.

Picasso is one of the 20th-century most well-known artists, a household name. In this course, we will learn about his personal life and his artistic career. As we do so, we will try and deconstruct the myth that exists around him both as a man and artist. Our approach will be chronological, starting in Spain, developing in Paris, and ending in Southern France, from 1881 to 1973. We will also address transversal themes, such as sculpture, Picasso’s family and lovers, the issue of collaboration, myth-making. Beyond developing your knowledge and understanding of Picasso’s art and life, this course will provide many opportunities to deepen your ability to analyse works of art (visual analysis and iconography).

Beginner’s Digital Skills course for adults. Learn basic computer skills and get digitally fit for modern life. Learning for life and work. Learn to use digital devices and gain essential computer skills for professional and personal use. Digital training helps you move with the times and not get left behind. This beginner’s course is for anyone who wants to learn digital skills, no matter your current knowledge. This course is appropriate for complete beginners, so don’t worry if this is all new to you. Learn to use word processing software and fill out online forms in this Digital Skills course. Understand how to use email and search for information online. This digital skills training also teaches you how to shop online securely. You’ll understand online safety and data storage. Digital courses online offer you learning for life and work. You’ll learn digital skills to help you in your everyday life. This course could also help you progress to job roles that require digital work skills.

This is the first 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 won’t 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.

This course is designed to work in conjunction with our entry level ESOL courses, and will allow learners to put the skills learnt in this course into practice. Learners will have the opportunity to develop relationships alongside each other, rehearsing spoken English in a fun and relaxed environment. These sessions are designed to add to learners wellbeing, as well as mastering their current learnt English.

Beginner’s Digital Skills course for adults. Learn basic computer skills and get digitally fit for modern life. Learning for life and work. Learn to use digital devices and gain essential computer skills for professional and personal use. Digital training helps you move with the times and not get left behind. This beginner’s course is for anyone who wants to learn digital skills, no matter your current knowledge. This course is appropriate for complete beginners, so don’t worry if this is all new to you. Learn to use word processing software and fill out online forms in this Digital Skills course. Understand how to use email and search for information online. This digital skills training also teaches you how to shop online securely. You’ll understand online safety and data storage. Digital courses online offer you learning for life and work. You’ll learn digital skills to help you in your everyday life. This course could also help you progress to job roles that require digital work skills.

During this five week course we will explore a number of portraits of British Monarchs. We will discover the anonymous Wilton Diptych, Holbein’s portrayal of Henry VIII, the evolving portraits of Elizabeth I throughout her life; the paintings of Charles I by Anthony Van Dyck, and several portraits of the de-facto monarch Oliver Cromwell. The course will introduce the lives of the artists, the historical and socio-political contexts of the paintings, and discuss the changing perceptions of the monarchy as shown in this 250 year long history. Images of the portraits will be available for you online. Come along and tap into your inner art-critic.

Experiment with a range of materials and complete a number of exciting projects in art including landscape painting and a personal project. This course offers expert but accessible instruction in drawing, colour mixing, landscape painting and a personal project such as a portrait or abstract design. The course takes place at Ashley Place, which is a residential home for adults with a physical disability, but the course is open to everyone from the community with or without a disability.

We will consider a range of films, from classics to contemporary cinema. We will discuss the style and meaning of diverse extracts drawing on key ideas from Film Studies. We will consider films from diverse countries, comparing and contrasting these with American and British cinema. The class will be organised around discussion of selected extracts, with guidance on points to look for, including different aspects of film such as the screenplay and cinematography. Students will be encouraged to develop their responses in small groups. Case studies will be included on Alfred Hitchcock and British cinema.