WEA courses

Many people find it difficult to have some “me time” out of a busy life to spend time on a creative activity. This course will give you the opportunity to understand the benefits of indulging in a creative activity and how this can have a positive effect on your mental health and wellbeing. You will have the opportunity to learn the basic skills of a range of different crafts and share skills and knowledge with other crafters. Each session will allow you to try a different craft which may lead you to discover a craft which could become a new hobby for you to enjoy.

Join us for this practical course aimed at improvers to explore creative ideas & learn techniques for making cards & decorative items with the personal touch for birthdays and Easter. Be inspired by the seasonal change to use cheerful colours and motifs. You will extend your papercraft skills to create handmade card, gift boxes and bags, and decorations. We will craft together step by step during the sessions & discuss ways the projects can be adapted, there will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions and share ideas. Learners will explore the choices of different papers, colours, patterns to suit the different projects. Projects will be discussed at the start of the course & different items will be made each week. You will be able to build upon skills learnt to experiment and perhaps inspire independent projects. Spring & Easter themes will be included in the projects. This course will explore possibilities to inspire creativity. This course is ideal for enthusiastic crafters wanting to experiment with different ideas that can be used for different occasions.

This ESOL class focuses on developing everyday English communication skills for non-native speakers. Students will practice speaking, listening, reading and writing through interactive activities and real-life scenarios. This includes topics such as, shopping, transport, dining out and public places.

Essex museums are full of wonderful and sometimes surprising objects. This course takes a selection of objects looked after in museums all over the county and uses them as sources for learning about everyday life in Essex in the past. Covering a range of themes and times the course will also give you some ideas for places to visit in your own time.

Would you like to start learning how to speak in Ukrainian? Would you like to communicate with your friends or colleagues who speak the language? Then this is the course for you. This is the basic course which runs for 8 weeks so you can learn the basics of the language. You do not have to do any assessments to join the course as this is for beginners. You will be taught by a qualified tutor who was born in Ukraine and has lived in the UK teaching English for a number of years.

At the end of the First World War, Germany underwent dramatic change. The Kaiser abdicated, and the country emerged from a period of autocratic rule to embark on a bold and (on paper) very progressive experiment in republican democracy. At the same time, the victorious allies of the Great War imposed a punitive peace treaty on Germany at Versailles, reflecting their belief that Germany has caused the war and should pay the price. These changes, together with other factors such as the worldwide economic situation between the wars ushered in a period of social, political and financial turbulence in which Hitler and the Nazis would eventually rise to power.

Discover for the first time, or re-visit an old favourite, this course will introduce you to a wide range of artworks from the national collection of Tate Britain in London. We explore specific works by historical, modern and contemporary artists in relation to wider cultural and social contexts. The aim of the course is to develop confidence and visual literacy skills when looking at and discussing art in London’s galleries. On this course, we examine work by prominent artists as diverse as Anthony Van Dyck, Joan Carlile, William Blake, JMW Turner, the Pre-Raphaelites, Gwen John, Sarah Lucas and Lubaina Himid.

Build on basic reading skills with these ESOL classes. This is an English course for beginners. It is aimed at speakers of other languages. ESOL courses help you learn basic English for life in the UK and improve your chances of finding work or study options. This ESOL entry 2 reading course builds on skills you learnt at entry 1. Grow your vocabulary and improve your reading skills in English. There are also writing and speaking & listening courses at this level. If you’re helping others find ESOL courses in the UK, you’ve come to the right place.

We will consider a range of films, from classics to contemporary cinema. We will discuss the style and meaning of diverse extracts drawing on key ideas from Film Studies. We will consider films from diverse countries, comparing and contrasting these with American and British cinema. The class will be organised around discussion of selected extracts, with guidance on points to look for, including different aspects of film such as the screenplay and cinematography. Students will be encouraged to develop their responses in small groups. Case studies will be included on Alfred Hitchcock and British cinema.

Develop foundational reading skills with this entry 1 English course for beginners. This English course is for speakers of other languages. It will help you learn basic English to study, work, and live in the UK. This ESOL reading course helps people who are just starting to learn English. It will help you gain confidence reading short texts and common words in English. There are also writing and speaking & listening courses at this level. If you’re helping others access ESOL classes in the UK, you’ve come to the right place. What we’ll cover: - Learn to identify common English words in everyday situations. - Understand signs, symbols and texts you will come across. - Read information about timetables, prices, and schedules. - Understand the purpose of different texts, including adverts, posters, and news articles. - Understand how punctuation is used to help you read more easily.