WEA courses

From the Academy Awards (nicknamed - ‘The Oscars’) to Cannes and the BAFTAs, sometimes it seems as though one film often dominates major categories, in 2024 this was Oppenheimer, but what were the judges really looking for, are box office figures really enough to stand the test of time with audiences? We compare this to films such as Gone With the Wind, a film still well known and highly regarded but now increasing questioned for its representation of slavery and questionable moments of morality. Do we need to remember and appreciate what this film won its awards for in the first place? Smaller scale, more micro-budget film productions such as Bait as perhaps just as important for their creative innovation and social commentary on a moment in time/history - yet it takes a different kind of award to recognise this – are awards more important for getting emerging talent recognised way from the box office. How important are awards for ‘International’ cinema such as The Power of the Dog, The Boy and the Heron and Perfect Days – what does this term really mean? Do award winning films say as much if not more about the sociological, political, technological and/or pop-cultural moments in time they were made as much as anything else? From the big hits to a near miss or two, we have fun, discuss and come to understand and appreciate the themes, approaches and creative decisions behind each of these films, broaden our knowledge of the subject area and cinema in general. The Holdovers (2023), Oppenheimer (2023), Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017), Perfect Days (2023), The Conversation (1974), Gone with the Wind (1939), The Power of the Dog (2021) Bait (2019), The Boy and the Heron (2023) Oliver! (1968).

Welcome to the world of creativity! This beginners' course in arts and crafts is designed to introduce you to various artistic techniques and mediums, providing you with a solid foundation to explore your creativity. Whether you're a complete novice or someone looking to refresh their skills, this course will guide you through the fundamentals of different art forms, encouraging you to express yourself through hands-on projects.

To use some philosophical ideas so that at the end of it you have a better understanding of what it means to know something. Suitable for beginners, so knowledge of philosophy is not expected.

Are you thinking about taking an ESOL entry 1 writing course? If so, this course can help to prepare you to study. Set yourself up for success on your ESOL course with this preparation course. Get ready courses help you learn English at your own pace. This course gives you extra study time. This is an introductory English course for beginners. If you’re helping others access entry 1 ESOL classes in the UK, you’ve come to the right place.

Enhance your numeracy and English skills with our ESOL - Numeracy Skills for Care Employees course. Focus on practical maths and communication needed for the care sector. Ideal for non-native speakers working in or aspiring to work in care.

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.

We will study the mutating virus of anti-semitism, through an exploration of the ancient template shaped by Christianity and examine key explosions of anti-Jewish violence and prejudice which Hitler was able to exploit, tragically culminating in the Final Solution. Through discussion and debate we will also spend time as a group examining contemporary Holocaust denial, distortion and conspiracy theories. Finally we will look at the current antisemitism accusations within the Labour party and its impact across the political landscape.

Why was Britain's genetic make-up radically changed between 500 and 800 AD/CE? Were the newcomers environmental refugees, pagan plunderers, invaders or missionaries? Who were these new arrivals and what were they doing over here? This course will use recent information on sites, finds and their interpretation to shed new light on Anglo-Saxon Age archaeology in Britain. How and why the migrations took place will be illustrated using new (since 1980) excavation evidence, metal detecting finds, scientific analysis and aerial remote sensing data.

Wessex no longer exists yet its name still conjures images of Alfred the Great and the creation of England. The choice by Thomas Hardy of using Wessex as the fictional literary landscape of his novels further embeds this feeling of nostalgic association that people have. This course explores its creation and demise and why it still lives in our memory partly as a result of its historical significance but also because the sentimental effect of its name is consistently being used by advertisers and organisations to create a positive connection with customers and the public.

This course gives an overview of the social context, politico—historical forces and individual personalities involved in the development of religion during the late classic, medieval and early modern period. This course is ideal for anyone interested in understanding the emergence of Christianity, Islam, Sikhism and ‘Humanism’ within their wider social contexts. While we will be continuing from where my previous courses left off, previous knowledge is not required.