WEA courses

Join us for an exciting new course tailored for beginner bag makers! If you have basic sewing machine experience, this is the perfect opportunity to refresh your skills and learn new tips. You'll have the choice of various bag patterns focusing on specific bag-making techniques, or you can create your own patterns using the skills you'll acquire. This course will delve into techniques like installing zippers, adding pockets, and crafting different bag bases and handles. We'll create 2-3 bags throughout the course with sustainability in mind. Skills covered and enhanced will include seams and hems, buttonholes, inserting zips, sewing and reinforcing corners, as well as sewing curves and darts. This course is funded by the Education Skills and Funding Agency.

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.

In this term, we begin by considering the challenges faced by young King Aethelred at the beginning of his reign, particularly his difficulties with the growing Viking threat. We will also look at the rise of a unified Kingdom of Denmark, and examine the motives and factors which created it. We will then analyse the successive policies by which Aethelred attempted to curb the Viking threat, ultimately only to result in his own overthrow. After that, we will then go on to analyse the emergence of King Cnut and his maritime empire, and the nature of Cnut’s rule in England.

Continue enhancing your English skills for life and work in the UK with our Next Steps course. Focus on more advanced communication techniques and practical applications. Ideal for non-native speakers looking to further improve their English proficiency.

If you enjoy the buzz of learning environments, this qualification can teach you key skills for employment in a school or college. This government-funded course prepares you for a variety of roles. It provides the basic skills and knowledge necessary to work in admin, technical, or support roles in a learning environment. Studying support work in schools at level 2 can be a first step towards working with kids in teaching positions. It also provides you with the qualifications needed to work in admin at schools. No matter what role you’re interested in, this course can teach you skills for employability in schools and colleges.

Basic English buildingconfidence

Basic maths and dealing with bills and budgets

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.

This course explores history of Britain's relationship with the European Union, from its inception to the present day. The course will cover key events, policies, and political figures that have shaped this relationship, culminating in the Brexit referendum and its aftermath. We will be looking in a comprehensive way at our attitude to the EU from the earliest days, focusing on the factors which led to our eventual entry and navigate through the complex history of Britain’s relationship with the EU, focusing on key events, policies, and political dynamics leading to Brexit and beyond.

"Step Into Work" is a comprehensive program designed to equip you with the essential skills needed for job hunting. This course covers writing effective cover letters, creating standout CVs, and mastering interview techniques. Through practical workshops and expert guidance, you'll learn how to present yourself confidently to potential employers and increase your chances of landing the job you desire. This course will help you examine your current skills and qualities and how they transfer to job related tasks. You’ll need access to the internet to take this ‘Step into Work’ program as our tutors use the WEA’s digital learning portal, Canvas, to send you important information and tasks.