During their latest session Life Skills 'Keep Moving' students were accompanied by teacher Hannah Boyd on a visit to the BP British Portrait Award at Wolverhampton Art Gallery. BP British Portrait Awards The exhibition is an annual celebration of contemporary painted portraiture by artists of all ages from across the world. The competition is one of the most important platforms for portrait painters and one of the largest global arts competitions. This year, 2667 entries were received from artists in 88 countries. Each was judged anonymously by a panel of judges (the artists' name, nationality, gender and age were withheld) and the list was gradually reduced to just 48 exceptional portraits for the exhibition. Source: Wolverhampton Art Gallery 'Life Skills' students get involved Whilst at the gallery students discussed the work in the exhibition, they chose their favourite portrait and explained why. They used mobile devices to take pictures of each other in front of the paintings, not...

The Like Minds art group that meet on a Tuesday morning are a mixture of new and old students. The group comes together to learn, create and to take their minds away from the worries of their day.In today's session the group focused on a seasonal theme making 2D clay reliefs, using texture, pattern, form and text. The session resulted in the beginning of a fabulous array of handmade decorations.Janet who is in her second year said, "I am really enjoying the sessions, they are very therapeutic. If I'm having a bad day it helps me to forget about how I am feeling and gives us all a different focus. We are all here for similar reasons mainly our mental health so we understand and support each other. At each session we are taught and inspired by the teacher and each other."Earlier this year Sam was made redundant though ill health and decided that she wanted to focus on her creativity in a relaxed environment and build on her skills. One day she would like to become a self-employed designe...

On Thursday 6 December, Julia Weston (Programme Manager for Skills for Work) and Bookkeeping Teacher Steph Hemming attended the annual International Association of Bookkeepers Awards ceremony held at the Houses of Parliament to receive a Silver Centre Award for consistently high student achievement across a range of IAB qualifications.The event recognised the achievement of centres, students and teachers, along with Bookkeeping and Accountancy Professionals from across the globe with centres from Malaysia and India attending also.Julia said "It was great to see Adult Education Wolverhampton in such prestigious company!"The event was hosted by MP Fabian Hamilton on the Terrace Pavilion with members of the house of Lords presenting certificates all topped off with a glass of bubbly! Interested in a Bookkeeping course? Would you like to gain a qualification in Bookkeeping? Find out more about a Bookkeeping course at Adult Education Wolverhampton.

Students attending the Life Skills 'move on' classes spent the first term creating beautifully crafted Christmas gifts, cards and decorations. On Tuesday 10 December, the group got everyone into the festive spirit by selling their hand made crafts at the annual Christmas Craft Fair, which is held in our main Foyer. The event was a big success, raising a grand total of £142 of which £50 will be donated to the Royal British Legion. Students would like to say a big thank you to everyone who supported them on the day and purchased their goods.Teacher Michelle said, "The event was a great success and very encouraging for the class. A real inspiration for the students and a great incentive for them to continue with their hard work. The event has been a real boost to their confidence and enhanced their determination to succeed." Interested in joining a Like Minds course? Are you interested in joining a Like Minds class or know someone who would be? Find out more about our Like Minds classes o...

On Tuesday 11th December 2018, the Pre-Entry ESOL students participated in a session with the aim of learning the English terms for the parts of the human body.Firstly, the students engaged in an initial conversation to practice the pronunciation of each word and then proceeded in teams to draw round a representative of their group and label their diagrams with the names of each body part.The students found this session both enjoyable and educational.The session was led by PGCE student, Steph Gilford and supported by Pamela Lavender, Subject Lead Integration. Interested in joining an ESOL course? Are you interested in joining an English for Speakers of Other Languages? If English is not your first language, join our ESOL classes. All courses will help you to learn more about life and work in the UK. Find out more about this course here, or contact us for more information.

On Monday 14 January 2019, students were visited by Councillor Lynne Moran, Cabinet Minister for Education and Skills at Wolverhampton Borough Council. The Level 2 Functional Skills English students had discussed the Wolverhampton Orange Campaign promoting the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls. The visit was in response to letters written by some of the students as part of their exam revision; they wrote to Councillor Moran suggesting ways they thought the campaign could be promoted and explored in local schools.The students engaged in a discussion with Councillor Lynne Moran regarding different types of violence committed against both men and women, religious and cultural differences and the appropriate places to seek support.Councillor Moran responded to questions regarding the campaign and provided details of its inclusion within the curriculum in Wolverhampton schools already. She also invited students to give their thoughts and opinions on s...

Life Skills 'Keep on Learning' students took part in a Mini Medic session ran by Adult Educations Health and Safety team, Karen Robins and Sandra Stanford. During the session the group identified what you would find in a first aid kit, used resuscitation dolls to administer CPR and were trained in the use of a defibrillator. The group practiced putting each other in the recovery position and discussed what to do in an emergency. Finally, they used the choke vest to remove a blockage from the instructor Sandra. Teacher Hannah Boyd said, "It was a great practical session enjoyed by all, a learning experience that could turn into a life saver.

On Tuesday 29th January 2019 Life Skills students, Move On and Keep Learning classes visited Cosford Air Museum. This was part of their ongoing Tale of Two Cities project in which students are learning about the industrial history of the area and traditional crafts. This week students have been learning about the manufacture of planes in Wolverhampton. Boulton Paul Aircraft Ltd was an aircraft manufacturer based in Wolverhampton and situated on the edge of Pendeford airfield in Wolverhampton. The company built air craft for other manufacturers but also some of their own designs. One of these was the Defiant fighter. As part of Life Skills sessions students learn practical skills that they can use in their day to day lives. Students started out their day by meeting at the train station where they all purchased their own return tickets to Cosford. They had spent some time in class previously looking at time tables and prices of train tickets to plan their trip. They then travelled by tra...

A tale of two cities is a collaborative project bringing together Life skills student groups from Adult Education Wolverhampton and Art shape in Gloucester. The aim is to bring together students facing disabling barriers from two very different cities. Students will have the opportunity to individually research and learn about each other and their cities. During the project the 2 groups of students will share their activities electronically and via social media. The project will culminate with celebrations later this year.  Spring term theme  During the spring term students have been looking at equality and diversity and have been researching 'Pride' the LGBTQ communities' positive stance against discrimination and violence toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ). They have also looked into their own concept of the word pride and have been investigating their local industrial heritage. Full steam ahead...  Students at Adult Education Wolv...

Seema, a drag artist, fashion and textiles designer and teacher visited the Life Skills group at the Maltings to discuss and inform students about the LGBTQ culture. Students were invited to look through her portfolios of work which showed a wide range of clothing, costumes and jewellery, items that have been showcased at LBGTQ events such as 'Pride'. Seema talked about her work at IMAAN the UK's leading LGBTQ Muslim charity, an organisation who support LGBTQ Muslims giving them a safe space and support. She also talked about keeping safe and building a supportive network. Students discussed their feelings about being in public spaces and talked about building their confidence and independence. They also discussed what they should do if they felt unsafe and in danger. During the day Seema modelled for the group incorporating 2 flamboyant costume changes. The group drew and photographed her on site and on location. They were also give the task to design costumes for Seema focusing on co...

This term student from the Life Skills Move on and Life Skills Keep Learning classes have been learning about their local industrial heritage and Pride. During sessions they have explored and learned new skills in making items such as enamelling, casting and sewing. Throughout the project students have learned about budgeting their money and how to forward plan for events and visits. They have practiced using money, adding values and giving change. Some students also learnt about VAT and how it works. During the project students have been on a number of visits which they have planned as a team. Before their recent visit to the Black Country Living Museum students chose the buses they would catch to travel to and from the museum and looked at the cost of travel tickets. They reviewed the museum website and worked out how much it would cost to buy their lunch there. Some students also researched how much it would cost to buy lunch compared the price to a packed lunch. They then visited A...

National Numeracy Week was a runaway success, with 135 students and 12 staff completed quizzes for the honour of winning an Adult Education Wolverhampton bag packed with goodies. What about the sweets? 55 staff and students had a go at guessing the number in the jar. It was wonderful hearing teachers' stories of how students responded to the quiz and how it was used as a starter activity in some classes. One teacher reported how her students decided to work as a team to find answers to each question. Students split themselves into small groups, with each group taking responsibility for finding answers to specific questions. They used their ICT skills to find answers, even locating the Self-Assessment Report to find the total number of students who attended classes in 2017/18. One student explained the patterns in the number sequence question to the whole group with great clarity so that everyone could work out the next two numbers for themselves. Thanks to everyone who encouraged or br...

Back in January 2019 students and staff were invited to join 'Health Builder' classes, aimed at improving their health and wellbeing by giving them the chance to take time out for themselves, learn a new practical skill and try something fun. The classes were a big hit with both students and staff. Classes included Creative crafts, cake decorating, flowers arranging and singing. Classes were attended well and students reported that they benefited enormously from attending. What our Students said...  We asked students their reasons for taking part and about the impact it had made to their daily lives.They said they attended to…"Have a break from work at least once a week.""Improve my fitness, to enjoy life more and increase my wellbeing.""Learn a new skill and take time out for myself.""Occupy my mind and brush up my skills." And the impact…"I have learnt lots. I have looked forward to each week and relaxed.""Class has greatly improved my confidence and artistry. Relaxing and thera...

Students studying on the Access to Higher Education (H.E) Health Professionals Diploma hosted a health promotion to fellow students and staff at Adult Education Wolverhampton. As part of the course they were tasked to deliver an event aimed at highlighting issues related to mental and physical health and wellbeing. To do this, students created posters fliers and games around different topics and shared their knowledge with the public. Marvel Smith, course teacher said, "The group have taken the challenge head on. They have worked hard and produced some good research and resources into which they incorporated their own experiences. It's been a wonderful opportunity for them to experience first-hand what it is like as a health professional to deliver an important health message to the general public." What our Students said... Fiona and Natalie who delivered information about mental health both said that this part of the course had taught them how to work as part of a team and the benefi...

Raising awareness of Mental Health In recognition of World Mental Health Day, Adult Education Wolverhampton joined local providers to deliver an important message about raising the awareness of Mental Health and promoting the support that is available across Wolverhampton. Adult Education promoted the difference learning can have on an individual and how taking part in in group learning activities can help improve health, wellbeing and enjoyment of life. It was a great day and we met with lots residents thinking of making a new start. We look forward to meeting them again one day soon in our classes. A journey... During the event we networked with some of the amazing organisations available in Wolverhampton. We met Kate Penman, one of the Authors of the magazine Collectivism (a collective of voices that authentically represent the city and promote the arts, community groups and charities) who introduced us to the Collectivism Recovery Exhibition. What a fantastic surprise it was to see...

Each year the Festival of Learning highlights the benefits of learning and celebrates the achievements of adults who through learning have transformed their lives. In October 2019 this year's winners attended a parliamentary reception at Westminster, bringing together winners, parliamentarians and key figures from the education and skills sectors. Winners from Adult Education Wolverhampton including Seong Chua, who was awarded the English Language Learning Award and Marie Smith who received the Learning for Health Award were invited to the London event. Marie Smith Going to the parliamentary event shows parliamentarians the importance of funding for adult education. It shows how learning transforms lives not only that of the individual studying but the fantastic impact it has on their family and friends too! I really owe my life to education. It gave me my life back. Marie Smith In October 2019 I was invited to attend the houses of parliament as part of the Festival of Learning Awards ...

Mandy Hadfield designer/maker and painting and drawing teacher at Adult Education Wolverhampton visited the Entry Level 3 (Setting up a Creative Business) class that is helping students to explore setting up their own small creative business. Each week the sessions explore different aspects of setting up and help students to develop an awareness of their own enterprise skills.  Since completing a degree in Three Dimensional Design specialising in glass in 2002, Mandy became a teacher in art and design teaching across a wide variety of courses. Alongside being a teacher Mandy is a practising glass Artist. Mandy's glass work gains inspiration from both nature and her children's artwork giving her work a fun and uplifting feel. Mandy also provides creative based and glass workshops to all ages and abilities sharing her passion for art and design.  This week Mandy spoke to a group of aspiring entrepreneurs about her small business and shared some of the facts. She talked about he...

 During this week's lesson, my level 2 Functional Skills English students explored the 'Word of the Week'- EMPOWER. They identified many ways to empower a person; some of the suggestions were: offering to listen, encouraging goal setting, giving someone a voice and being non-judgemental. Making sure a person is given the opportunity of friendship, is included in things, encouraged, supported and complimented will ensure they feel valued and increase their self-confidence. Giving others our time was a key message. Students produced poster to persuade people to take part in voluntary activities around Wolverhampton; the groups focused on: #OrangeWolves #SnowWolves #MolineuxSleepout Many of the students are already involved in volunteering, offering help and support at Prince's Trust, Home Start, The Good Shepherd, The Bike Shed, The Soup Kitchen, Hope into Action and the Building Better Opportunities programme. If you are looking to give some time to help others the students suggest...