WEA courses

This course will consider and analyse the following authors and their texts. These are: Magnus - George Mackay Brown. Border Country - Raymond Williams. They - Kay Dick. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy - John Le Carre. Waterland - Graham Swift. These texts will provide a window into the different regions of Britain during two decades of major change in the social fabric and political nature of Britain, though several of our texts will trace these changes back to the earlier part of the twentieth century, and in doing so, we will encounter themes of identity, class and the decline of Empire. There will be much to prompt discussion and challenge our assumptions.

This course will help you understand watercolour techniques interrelated with drawing skills, and in connection with inspiring examples in art history. It will help you learn classical techniques in a subtle way, by relating them to examples by various masters of drawing and watercolour (such as Dürer, Turner or Cezanne) and contemporary artists (such as David Hockney or Anselm Kiefer). If you would like to have a fresh view of watercolour painting and drawing, and learn how to achieve expressivity by carefully combining techniques such as glazing, graded wash or cross-hatching, this course will offer you an overview and will inspire personal artworks of great subtlety and sensitivity It will also encourage you to create your own original artworks based on the techniques learned and it will bring a fresh perspective on known techniques and styles, if you have already practised them in your own paintings. You will need to bring your own materials, paints and paper along for this course. The tutor will let you know what to bring

The "Making the Most of Your Smartphone for Life and Work" online course is designed to help you harness the full potential of your smartphone. This is suitable for those who have a smartphone but doesn’t know how to use all of the features and applications. This course covers essential features, productivity apps, camera use and practical tips for both personal and professional use. Whether you're a beginner or looking to enhance your skills, you'll learn how to use your smartphone effectively to improve communication, organisation, and productivity.

This course will focus on working from the landscape to make original works of art. It will explore creative approaches and different ways of working to create paintings and develop your skills in landscape painting.

This beginners ESOL course will help you to develop basic speaking, listening, reading and writing skills in English. Develop your language skills to enable you to recognise simple words, prepare to write, ask everyday questions and answer them using correct grammatical structures.

Polish your writing skills in English. This ESOL level 2 course teaches you advanced knowledge to help you write and analyse a variety of texts in English. Improved writing skills can open doors to work and study options in the UK. This ESOL course builds on skills you learnt at level 1. Perfect your writing skills in English while practising critical thinking. This is an English course for adults. It is aimed at speakers of other languages. ESOL courses are divided into three areas: reading, writing, and speaking & listening. If you’re helping others access ESOL classes in the UK, you’ve come to the right place.

In these lectures Stephen Wilkinson will introduce students to the history of the detective genre and discuss its relationship to the development of capitalism, urbanisation and consumerist commodity culture. Students will be encouraged to read detective fiction as a prism through which societies, their anxieties and underlying psycho-political natures can be understood. Using the examples from the UK, US and Cuba students will gain an insight into the ways in which popular literature gives shape and form to our lives.

During Victorian times Nottingham was transformed from an elegant market town into a major industrial City. Industries like hosiery and Lace needed grand warehouses and offices, streets filled up the central parishes and countless houses soon spread beyond the traditional town boundary. This course will explore this evolution from town to City, discover why and how the urban landscape began to change, consider contrasting communities, including Narrow Marsh and the Park Estate and will pause to highlight characters like the ‘firebrand orator’ Feargus O’Connor who could be assured to rouse the crowds over justice and the right to vote.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the history of ideas is learning how ideas have a life of their own, influencing society and culture through successive generations in different ways. In this 10-week course we’ll focus on an different important and influential question each week. We cover philosophy, literature, science and history. We’ll read and discuss selected extracts which will be circulated beforehand. The course covers a sweep of over 2000 years, from the ancient Greeks to modern times.

Explore the rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte and the complicated legacy he still holds: villain to some, hero to others, and architect of the French state. This course takes you on a journey through Napoleon’s rapid rise to power, his dramatic military campaigns, and the changes he brought to Europe. We’ll look at his leadership, his impact on society, and the lasting effects of his rule. By examining different perspectives and historical evidence, you’ll get a balanced view of one of history’s most fascinating and controversial figures.