WEA courses

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).

Develop your skills to draw with confidence in line, tone and form and create art inspired by objects around you.

Develop painting techniques inspired by historical and contemporary abstract artists.

Develop painting skills and colour mixing, inspired by the autumn landscapes around you.

Deepen Your Mindfulness Practice: Intermediate Level Ready to take your mindfulness journey to the next level? This 6-week course builds upon your existing knowledge and techniques, empowering you to significantly reduce stress and enhance overall well-being. Explore powerful practices like mindful breathing, cultivating a mindful brain, and integrating mindfulness into daily activities. Discover how just a few minutes a day can transform your busy life, fostering inner calm and reducing stress levels.

Explore the captivating journey of writing, from ancient petrographs and petroglyphs on rocks to cutting-edge electronic communication systems. This course invites both beginners and those with prior knowledge who share an interest in history and writing. Over six weeks, taught online, engage in presentations and discussions, with convenient access to materials even after each session.

Show don’t tell – so often easier said than done – Just how does an idea turn into a script? How much info do I include in a script? Is it really more than just dialogue? In some ways writing a script requires a very different approach from the writer. We gain knowledge and understanding of the differing requirements of writing for the screen, both what works for TV and what approach is more cinematic, as well as writing for the radio. Radio, so often described as the ‘intimate’ medium, plays in a listener’s head offering scope for greater imagination and powerful emotional effect. We will also explore the creative process, just what is the correct format for each of these mediums, where to start, how to develop an idea into a script, allowing it to grow scene by scene (what even is ‘a scene’). The course will also cover writing/developing a TV series, comedy, writing for ‘soaps’ and feature some more general skills on developing story structure and character development of interest to any budding writer. With a mix of group and individual tasks, discussion, analysis of clips as examples, it is hoped that all will dabble and develop some writing whilst on the course. What makes a good script and what is a bad script? This is an informative and fun course, with some key first hand information, not to be missed.

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 and listening. If you’re helping others access ESOL courses in the UK, you’ve come to the right place.

Would you like to feel the magic of Christmas again! Crafting is a fun way to spend time in the lead up to Christmas and adds a personal touch to the festivities. This course will give you the opportunity to learn something new, relax and meet like-minded people, whilst getting in the mood for Christmas. It will ignite your imagination and inspire you towards making your own Christmassy crafts, including, cards, tree decorations and trinkets that you may wish to gift to others who are special to you. Engaging in craft has proven to boost mental wellbeing and reduce stress. Benefits include improved mindfulness, better cognitive function, less anxiety, and increased self-awareness.