WEA courses

Begin your journey towards a rewarding career in education with our Introduction to Being a Teaching Assistant course. Learn the essential skills and knowledge required to support teachers and students in the classroom. Ideal for individuals considering a career in education.

This series of four talks will explore key changes in Britain from 1914 to 1924. We'll begin with the reasons for Britain's entry into World War I, followed by the war's impacts on society, politics, and the economy. We'll also examine the 1916 Easter Rising to understand Britain’s complex relationship with Ireland. Finally, we’ll discuss the 1923 election and the first Labour government in 1924. No prior knowledge is needed, and questions will encourage discussion on this intriguing period of history.

This course aims to introduce students to the art of portraiture in a relaxed and supportive environment. You will learn how to draw the face, neck and features correctly and then move on to painting. The class is ideal for beginners who would like to learn new skills or improve old ones. Using a simplified, structured, and step-by-step approach, students will learn the skills and techniques necessary to be able to paint portraits. Creating portraits that have a convincing sense of shape, form and colour is difficult to do, and this course looks at various techniques used to do this. By learning to interpret the human head into its abstract elements (shape, tone & colour), you will gain confidence in how to paint portraits in a structured and methodical manner.

This course is designed for those who have some experience with crafting and are ready to take their skills to the next level. Participants will explore more advanced techniques in various crafting disciplines, including textile arts, mixed media, advanced paper crafting, and decorative arts. Through challenging projects, detailed demonstrations, and creative exploration, students will refine their craftsmanship, experiment with new materials, and develop a more sophisticated approach to their craft. This course encourages creativity, personal expression, and the development of a unique crafting style.

If you would like to start writing non-fiction articles, blogs, short pieces or news stories, this course is for you. This practical course gives you a short introduction to journalism and aims to help you to write clear, interesting and balanced reports in news, blog or feature formats. It will also help you to develop the skills to identify and obtain relevant and newsworthy items from written or verbal sources. It will introduce you briefly to some of the legal and ethical considerations faced by journalists.

This which go bump in the night, are some to quick to dismiss anything ghostly or supernatural as ‘horror’? Films which feature haunting and/or the supernatural so often rely on the fear of what might happen, mystery and suspense. As Alfred Hitchcock once said, ‘there is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it’. We examine of this is also true of a good ghostly tale on film, like a thriller keeping the audience wondering what might happen? How do they do this, what techniques do they use? Films such as 1961’s The Innocents are noted as classics of the genre, adapted from a literary source, with memorable shots and scenes it still has the power to unnerve but has some of this been lost as other films copy its template? Ealing’s Dead of Night is now an influential cult classic but an oddball for the studio so noted for its comedy, what does it indicate about immediate post-war Britain? Rosemary’s Baby is now noted as pushing the genre forward into the modern age, from external terrors to fears lurking within society itself, 2001’s The Others attracted a broad audience, with fleeting nods to The Innocents, how did it re-energise the ghost story on film for the 21st Century. Whilst Ghost Story serves as an example of an all too often curio worth seeing for every fan of a ghostly tale. The Innocents (1961), Dead of Night (1945), Rosemary’s Baby (1968), Ghost Story (1974), The Others (2001).

Welcome to the, ‘Reading Skills course’. This course is designed for ESOL Entry 2/3 students to improve their English reading abilities. Over the course, students will practice reading various texts, including stories, articles, and everyday materials like menus and signs. The course focuses on understanding vocabulary, sentence structure, and main ideas. Interactive activities include reading aloud, group discussions, and comprehension exercises. By the end of the course, students will have enhanced their reading skills, built a stronger vocabulary, and gained confidence in understanding and enjoying English texts.

This basic course will introduce learners to the world at work and the language needed to enter it. The course has been developed in partnership with West Bromwich Job centre but is open to everyone. The course will take place at CBO (Confederation of Bangladeshi Organisations) in West Bromwich. This course is particularly suitable for students are unemployed and have been referred by Job Centres to improve their spoken and written English and thereby get closer to getting a job. This course is aimed at pre-entry ESOL learners.

Join us for this course which will review historical events, from long ago up until recent years and link them with how newspaper and magazine cartoons reflected attitudes and controversies of that time. This beginner course will primarily focus on the historical context and political impacts of their cartoons rather than the artistic techniques but through that analysis students will gain a deeper understanding of the role of political cartoons in the 20th century.

Come and join us on this exciting, creative course and develop your existing crafting skills or learn brand new ones! Our experienced tutor and a group of like minded crafters will delve into the rewarding world of decoupage. On this course we will cover the basics of decoupage and endeavour to answer the following questions:  What is decoupage?  What do I need to do it?  What skills do I need to start with?  Is it expensive? Crafting is known to relax those who participate in it and the added bonus with decoupage is you can make some lovely handmade gifts for friends and family for pennies, using items you can find around the house or in charity shops This course is aimed at beginners and more experienced crafters, so anyone who has an interest in craft is more than welcome. Please join us and try your hand at delightful decoupage.