Life Skills students were very pleased to welcome James and Sam from West Midlands Police. This was part of AEW's Learning Week: 3rd - 7th November 2025 and organised by Jen from our Student Services Team. The session topic was Hate Crime, so our students were able to learn more about what this means and how it impacts on the victims, perpetrators and our wider communities. This also links in with wider skills, knowledge and behaviours being developed through the Life Skills curriculum, such as Safeguarding, British Values, the Prevent Strategy and Equality and Diversity.James and Sam explained that hate crimes are against one or more of these 5 protected characteristics: race, religion, disability, sexual orientation and transgender identity. There are also different types of hate crime, such as physical assault, verbal abuse and incitement to hatred.They also gave examples to students about protests and counter-protests happening recently in Wolverhampton and how it is the Poli...
Students from the Exploring the Community Life Skills group recently visited Merridale Fire Station to learn more about the work of their local Firefighters. They received a guided tour of the station and discovered how Firefighters' protective clothing and breathing equipment keep them safe, as well as how technology is used on modern fire engines. The crew also demonstrated how cutters and rams are used to free people from vehicles, along with the operation of the water hose. A highlight for the students was seeing the alert system in action and observing how quickly firefighters can prepare to respond to an emergency.
Life Skills students recently visited the Tettenhall Transport Heritage Centre and were surprised by just how much local history was gathered in one place. From antique airplane parts and historic cockpits to wartime relics and transport products made in Wolverhampton, the hands-on exhibits kept everyone engaged. After studying the history of railways in class because of the 200 year anniversary of train travel in the UK, exploring real examples of local transport developments helped bring Wolverhampton's past to life. The volunteers were incredibly knowledgeable and happily answered all of the students' questions.
My name is Kajal Dhillon and I am originally from India. I arrived in the UK in 2021, just after the pandemic. Back home I had been a secondary school teacher for many years, but when I came here, I felt completely lost. I didn't understand how the education system worked, how schools operated, or how I could get back into teaching. I found myself totally at sea.While walking through Wolverhampton, I passed a building that said Adult Education. Being an adult and feeling that I needed support and further education, I walked in. That moment became the start of a new chapter for me.I was introduced to ESOL and given the idea of teaching English to speakers of other languages. While doing some supply teaching to get myself into work quickly, I continued volunteering in the ESOL classes. AEW remained a constant part of my journey.The support I received during my time here was incredible. It was one of the most pleasant and enriching experiences I've had.Although I had taught for decades, c...
When Lisa joined Adult Education Wolverhampton, she wanted to build her confidence and develop practical skills that would support her in everyday life. What started as a step toward self-improvement soon became a journey of growth, connection, and self-belief. Lisa enrolled on Maths, British Sign Language (BSL), and Like Minds Arts and Crafts courses, each offering something different but equally rewarding. Maths helped her gain confidence in a subject she once found challenging, while BSL opened up a new way to communicate with a close friend who is deaf. Through Like Minds, she found a creative outlet and a supportive space to explore mental health and wellbeing. As her confidence grew, Lisa began taking on new challenges outside the classroom. With encouragement from AEW staff, she started volunteering to support the student services team, helping at reception and during open day events. This experience soon became one of her proudest achievements. Volunteering gave Lisa the opport...
At Adult Education Wolverhampton, our students' voices are at the heart of everything we do. During Student Voice Week, our Deputy Head of Services, Anna, spent time visiting a range of classes to hear directly from students about their experiences, such as what they enjoy most about learning with AEW and where we can make things even better. These open conversations offered valuable insight into how our students feel about their courses, their teachers, and their learning environment.Celebrating What's Going WellAcross every class, one theme stood out - our students value the supportive, welcoming atmosphere and the dedication of their teachers.Here are just a couple of the positive comments shared during Student Voice Week:"Teachers are very helpful and explain things really well. AEW is a place where students feel respected and welcomed.""Teaching is made open for all, which makes learning really enjoyable."Many groups also spoke about the positive pace of their lessons and how indu...
We proudly joined in Get the Nation Learning Week (03-07 November) by hosting a range of guest sessions aimed at inspiring, informing, and empowering our learners. Throughout the week, organisations and professionals visited our sites to share their expertise, from exploring career pathways and volunteering to promoting inclusion and safety in our communities. A key highlight was a visit from West Midlands Police, who delivered an engaging session on Prevent, general safety, and hate crime awareness. Learners had the chance to ask questions and take part in open discussions, helping raise understanding of how to stay safe and support inclusionOther sessions included talks from Smile Education, Access2Business, Blackrook Academy, and more - offering valuable insights into employment, training, and community opportunities
Our Life Skills students recently enjoyed a visit to The Lockworks Cinema as part of their work on building independence and confidence in the community. The assistant manager gave students a guided tour of the box office and screens, explaining the new owners' vision to create a warm, welcoming, and personal experience—focusing on friendly staff and conversation rather than machines and self-service. The result is a cinema that feels truly accessible and community-focused. One student shared, "It's totally different to other cinemas. It's luxury - I feel special and looked after." Students were also pleasantly surprised by the affordable ticket prices, making luxury entertainment more accessible to all. Recently refurbished in Wolves colours, The Lockworks now offers a vibrant local touch that celebrates the spirit of Wolverhampton.
I currently work for Wolverhampton council as an EET advisor for children and young people in care as part of the virtual schools. I currently support 19+ young people and when I started in the role, I went to visit all local colleges and providers to have a look around and see where I would refer my young people to. When I attended Adult Education Wolverhampton, I found the setting very calm, friendly and all the staff very approachable. The classrooms are very open, and the reception has a nice welcoming open space and the outside seating was also nice. I have now referred over 10 young people to the courses and all have been successful and settled into the setting, I found student services go above and beyond for their students there regardless of this being an adult setting. Adults get nervous too when going to new places and meeting new people but they would come outside to meet the young people, show them their classroom and just have a chat to settle them in each day. They respo...
AEW Life Skills in the Community - ICT Neil Dougherty Centre This year, Diwali will be celebrated on Monday 20th October.AEW Life Skills ICT Students at the Neil Dougherty Centre have been using and developing their ICT skills to discover facts about Diwali. First, they used Microsoft Teams to post Diwali greetings to each other on the Class Page. Then, they found their Assignments on Teams, which included a Diwali Research Task and a Diwali PowerPoint challenge, where they had to format text and insert pictures and videos into a template.They discovered that: • The word Diwali means 'rows of lighted lamps'. • It is celebrated by Hindu people across the world.• Diwali is known as the 'festival of lights' because houses, shops and public places are decorated with small oil lamps called 'diyas'.• Diwali is also celebrated in Sikhism and Jainism.• Diwali always falls some time between October and November, but the exact date varies each year as the Hindu calendar is ba...
Life Skills students recently took part in an exciting canal boat trip from Whitmore Reans to Wightwick. The journey provided a valuable opportunity to engage with the local community and explore the idea of local citizenship. Along the way, students learned how volunteers help maintain the canal network by clearing litter and caring for the surrounding wildlife. As they travelled, students observed a variety of birds, fish, and insects, gaining a greater appreciation for the natural environment. The trip also helped develop practical life skills, some students made their own way to the venue, while others practised reading bus timetables and planning routes using public transport. A stop at Compton gave students the chance to apply their money management skills by purchasing chips, turning a simple activity into a meaningful learning experience. Many students described the trip as relaxing and enjoyable, and said it had a positive impact on their mental wellbeing.
Donna Booth has been studying at Adult Education Wolverhampton (AEW) since September 2021. Now in her fifth year, she has worked her way through a range of courses, including GCSE Maths and English, and is currently studying to work in a school with the ambition of becoming a teaching assistant. For much of her life, Donna struggled without knowing why. She wasn't diagnosed with dyslexia until sixth form, which left her doubting her abilities and her self-worth. "I didn't think I was smart enough. I didn't feel I was good enough, because I'd just been put down basically all my life." When she first came to AEW, she found it overwhelming. She would often leave classes in tears, frustrated and convinced she couldn't do it. She describes herself at that time as someone with "no confidence, no self-esteem, nothing." Since starting at entry level three, Donna has successfully progressed to GCSE level. Last year, she achieved a Level 3 in both Maths and English, coming close to a Level...
Our students recently visited the University of Wolverhampton's library, where they had the opportunity to explore the facilities and take part in a guided university tour. The visit was designed to introduce them to academic resources, inspire future aspirations, and build confidence in navigating higher education environments. Experiencing a university setting first-hand is incredibly beneficial - it helps demystify the idea of university life, encourages independent learning, and gives students a sense of belonging in academic spaces. The library itself offered a glimpse into the wealth of support available, from digital tools to quiet study zones. Here's what some of our students had to say: "I didn't know libraries had so much - it made me want to study more." "The tour was really fun. I liked seeing where students hang out and work." "It felt welcoming. I could imagine myself going there one day." "I enjoyed learning how to find books and use the computers - i...
Adult Education Wolverhampton - Life Skills team - held an Induction and Information Session for students enrolled on its Supported Internship and Supported Programmes on Thursday 11th September. The team welcomed the new intake and some of their parents and carers, along with Emma and Jamahl from Wolverhampton Council's Supported Employment Team who will be working with them on their journey towards securing sustainable paid employment. Those attending found out more about what the programmes involve, vocational profiling, work experience and systematic instruction. Emma and Jamahl did some brilliant, engaging activities with the students, involving books, socks, paper clips and t-shirts to find out what students can do. Students were very well supported in the session by Teacher, Jonathan, and a Learning Support Assistant, Carole.Emma and Jamahl met with students individually, to gain further information that will help secure the right work experience placement for them, tailore...
Celebrating Creativity, Community, and Charity! Our Summer Arts and Crafts stall was a fantastic success, showcasing the beautiful handmade crafts created by our Life Skills students. The event not only highlighted their creativity but also aimed to support a cause close to their hearts: the Children's Ward at New Cross Hospital, a charity chosen by the students themselves. Students and staff worked together to organise the event, with generous donations of gifts for a tombola that helped boost our fundraising efforts. A big thank you to the Move On: Engaging with Independence and the Community students who supported on the day: Morning: Aaron Randhawa, Andrew Beardsmore, Carole Butlin Afternoon: Abby Burgess, Matthew Harper, Emsy (Emerlene) Michaels These students gained hands-on experience in money management by handling payments and giving change, while also building their customer service skills through engaging with visitors and welcoming future Life Skills students. We're proud t...
AEW staff and students were delighted to welcome so many visitors to the SEND Open Event held in May.Our guests were able to meet staff and current students, find out lots of helpful information about our Life Skills learning programmes and visit the Craft Fair run by our students, who were selling a great range of items they had made themselves. They were also treated to a wonderful spread of food and refreshments, prepared and cooked by our students and staff.We were also joined by Emma Carless from the Council's Supported Employment Team and Melissa Tharm from Fox Training, to advise current and future students on progression to employability learning programmes and securing paid employment. Many thanks to all our guests, and to all staff and students involved for their dedication, support and hard work in making the event such a success.
Thanks to Mark Taylor, Deputy Chief Executive of Wolverhampton Council, for taking time out of his busy schedule to visit Adult Education Wolverhampton (AEW) as part of the drive to meet as many staff groups across the council.Mark, a great advocate of adult education, was keen to learn more about the inner workings of AEW and talked to Anna, the Deputy Head of Service, and the student services team about safeguarding and the wider aspects of their role.
ESOL Pre-Entry students participated in the VE Day celebrations at the Hope Centre, joining senior citizens for a memorable and heartwarming event. There were nostalgic talks by seniors, who shared stories from their past and brought along treasured photos and letters to relive their memories. Students took part in games, including a lively session of Bingo, which they thoroughly enjoyed. The event was a great success, filled with laughter, learning, and a strong sense of community.
On Tuesday, 6th May, our Life Skills students welcomed Lauren Beaman from The Haven Wolverhampton, who visited to collect the generous donations of toiletries gathered by our students and staff, along with £80 raised through a cupcake sale. Lauren took the opportunity to speak with the class about the vital work her organisation does to support women and children affected by domestic abuse. The students, who had contributed to the donations, listened attentively and asked thoughtful questions, demonstrating genuine empathy and understanding. It was a powerful and meaningful experience that helped our learners connect their classroom learning with real-world issues, reinforcing the importance of compassion, community, and standing up for those in need. The Haven joins me in extending heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to the donations. We were able to fill six cardboard boxes with toiletries for The Haven. Special thanks to Siobhan Munger for baking multiple batches of cupcake...
On 1st April, Anthony Leddington took a bold step in his employment journey by attending the Job Reverse Fair at the Black Country Living Museum. This unique event flipped the traditional job-hunting experience on its head—giving jobseekers the opportunity to show employers what they had to offer. And Anthony did just that. With a carefully prepared tri-fold board, he showcased his skills, experience, and career aspirations in a creative and engaging way. His display stood out to potential employers, demonstrating his dedication, talents, and ambition.An attendee, Beth Wynn-Williams, Enterprise Co-ordinator and Supported Internships Co-ordinator from City of Wolverhampton Council, shared: "I just wanted to say how nice it was to see Anthony at the Reverse Jobs Fair yesterday. He did really well and is such a lovely young man. I can see that he becomes more confident talking to people once he has met them a couple of times." Reflecting on the day, Anthony said, "It was very good and bro...