We are excited to announce the launch of WEA Learn - a new home for our History, Art Appreciation and Literature courses. 

These courses will be held online and offered via Eventbrite. Learners will still enjoy the same high-quality learning experience from the same outstanding tutors , but will be able to secure a place without having to go through the usual application process. 

We have designed WEA Learn to enable learners to book simply and easily onto their preferred courses. Having booked, learners will receive all the necessary joining information and course links to their chosen email address. 

You can expect many more courses to be added to WEA Learn over the coming weeks and months! WEA Learn can be accessed here. 
 

Why have we made this change? 

Funding rules change all the time, and with the recent 6% cut in Adult Skills Funding (ASF), we have had to adapt to support this. We are seeing an increasing trend of funding being allocated to support skills for work, to meet the needs of learners and employers within your community.  

Adult Skills Funding (ASF) course fees at WEA have remained unchanged (£3.70 for online courses and £4.20 for face-to-face courses) for several years. We have resisted the need to pass these fees on to learners for a long time, but we now face significant funding cuts and a substantial increase in our costs.  

For WEA to continue operating sustainably, we must increase hourly fees. We have researched a range of online provision and, compared to similar organisations, we still charge the lowest hourly rate. WEA Learn is a standalone service that is being tested, and we have worked to deliver it at competitive rates.


Frequently Asked Questions 

We appreciate that you may have concerns or questions about some of these changes. In the first instance, we’d like to share a list of some common questions and answers around our curriculum that may help to address some of your queries. 

Although many organisations are able to take the summer months a little easier, we’ve been full steam ahead in July ensuring we can meet the challenges after this latest round of government cuts.

At the start of the month we held our first in person event for our LAPs (Local Advisory Panels) discussing how we can influence locally and build connections to ensure our delivery is meeting local need. As devolution continues at rapid pace, it’s more important than ever that we have strong advocates for the WEA and lifelong learning within the communities we work in. I am looking forward to visiting the LAPs and other members and supporters at a number of local roadshows in the autumn.  More detail to follow. 
 
After months of hard work from the team and the trustees, I’m delighted to say that we have developed our new organisational strategy which will take us up to our 125th birthday and beyond. It sets an ambitious direction for us, ensuring both the organisation and the learning we deliver are fit to meet challenges now and in the future. 

Simon Parkinson
WEA General Secretary & CEO

The WEA are a national educational charity with a mission to bring adult education within reach of everyone who needs it, fighting inequality and promoting social justice.

Founded in 1903, the WEA supports lifelong learning, not just to gain skills for work, but also to build resilience, confidence, and community. 

For media requests for a WEA spokesperson, learners with incredible impact stories, or to find out more about our work contact us: 

Eve Ragout, [email protected], Natalie Coleman, [email protected] or the team via [email protected] 

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Despite only being 30 days, June has been a long month. On June 11th the government announced their Spending Review, but unfortunately the only time lifelong learning featured in the Review was as the butt of a joke made by the Chancellor. She may not value adult learning, but we certainly do.  

As you will have seen from the results of our Impact Report adult learning isn't a side issue – it's a frontline tool and the impact of our work goes well beyond the classroom. 

While the Chancellor increased the Departments budget marginally, the bulk of that has been earmarked for schools and 16-19 provision. You can read our fuller analysis here, including the steps you can take to keep campaigning now. Our team are now taking some time to reflect and plan our longer term campaign to protect adult learning.

And speaking of campaigns, we put our name to the Learning and Work Institutes Get the Nation Learning campaign - designed to ensure everyone can learn throughout life. In the run up to Get the Nation Learning Week in November we will be submitting nominations to ensure our great learners and tutors are recognised nationally. Why not also submit a nomination at Get the Nation Learning. 

Finally, last week I attended SOLIDAR's Annual General Assembly in Brussels where we discussed the commonalities across European countries from the rise of the far right to the narrowing funding and focus of adult education.  As a board member of SOLIDAR I have been helping develop their new 5 year strategy and I am pleased that support for lifelong learning and its positive benefits is central to it. I was humbled to be elected as Vice-President of SOLIDAR+ which is the part of the network responsible for promoting lifelong learning across Europe and look forward to working with fellow board members and colleagues to spread the work on the importance of lifelong learning.

Simon Parkinson
WEA General Secretary & CEO

This time next week we will know the outcome of the government's Spending Review which will set the direction of travel for Labour's time in office. We know that many sectors, not just ours, will be bracing themselves for bad news and difficult decisions. The 6% cut to the Adult Skills Budget already announced this year, coupled with announcements and funding prioritising 16-19 skills education,  unfortunately demonstrates that those in power have little regard or understanding of the impact a genuinely broad adult learning offer can have on individuals and communities. 

But I do have hope that these challenging times for us and the wider adult learning community will bring a renewed sense of purpose and the push to do things differently. The WEA's leadership team and trustees have been working hard over the last few months on developing our new organisational strategy which will set our direction of travel for the next few years, enabling us to navigate these challenges in a way that's true to our values and enables us to do what we do best - bringing adult learning within reach. 

I want to thank all of you who wrote to your MP, signed the Protect Adult Learning petition, questioned your local mayor or shared your story with us. Together we are building a united voice to fight for adult learning, a voice that has been heard in Parliament. But that campaigning can't stop with the Spending Review and I look forward to continuing the fight with you over the coming months and years. 

Simon Parkinson
WEA General Secretary & CEO

The WEA ‘Art and About’ Festival in London is in full swing – running May - July, this popular event is now in its fifth year running.  

The programme comprises of several city walking tours, gallery/museum tours and practical art sessions across London, delving into the history and cultural heritage of art, offering participants the opportunity to celebrate the diversity of art in its many forms, in a variety of different settings and contexts around the city, and to connect with its relevance in modern day society. 

The walks include exploring the architecture and heritage of local buildings including heritage buildings, monuments and statues, including discovery tours of South Bank, Westminster, Soho and the Strand, along with local park walks in Greenwich, Hyde Park and Olympic Park. 

The practical arts sessions include sketching in some of London’s Royal parks, and Thames River & Bridges. 

The tutors leading the events aim to motivate and inspire learners by providing them with factual knowledge and contextual (historical / social / political) information about the sites), but also encourage engagement and interaction from those attending by initiating discussion points amongst the group, such as sharing viewpoints, personal knowledge / experiences, and asking questions, adding value to the overall learning experience. 

If you’re interested in attending one or more of these events, please book via the WEA website via the button below, where you can see the full programme of events. 

We look forward to welcoming anyone who wishes to participate in any of the tours or art sessions. 

Denise Bent 
Community reporter