If you would like to explore your interests, try something new or just want to meet new people and have fun Boston College offers a wide and varied range of Adult Bite-size courses.
Our Adult Bite-size courses are fun, practical non-accredited courses, which can run from a couple of hours during a single day to a few sessions over a number of weeks. The courses cost no more than £60, with some being FREE.
Some of the Adult Bite-size courses are funded by the Lincolnshire County Council - for more information, please read their Learner Handbook.
Location Key
BC | Boston Campus (Rochford)
PPPC | Peter Paine Performance Centre
SNC | Sam Newsom Centre
SC | Spalding Campus
HC | Horncastle Campus
Please note: Due to funding guidelines, there is a limit set at four Adult Bite-size applications per student in one academic year (September 2024 - September 2025).
Festival of Adult Learning is a Celebration of Lifelong Learning
As part of our celebration of Adult learning, Boston College is offering a range of FREE* courses throughout July.
Please note, you can only apply for two Festival of Learning Courses.
*To access these free courses, you need to have been aged 19 or over as of 31 August 2024 and also be a resident of Lincolnshire.
Microsoft Word Level 1
This course will teach you how to create professional looking documents and posters and includes:
- Creating, saving and opening a variety of documents
- Formatting documents to change the colour, size and style of fonts
- Adding bullets and numbering, aligning text
- Changing margins, inserting graphics, page borders and columns.
Attendance: This course will take you three sessions to complete. You will attend from Monday 7th July to Wednesday 9th July, between 9:30am and 3:00pm each day at the Boston College Rochford Campus.
Cost: Free
Apply: To apply for this course, please email employability@boston.ac.uk
Information, Advice and Guidance
The Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) course gives you a strong understanding of how to support others effectively. You'll cover key definitions, questioning techniques, communication styles, and the difference between referral and signposting.
Attendance: This course will take you one sessions to complete. You will attend on Monday 7th July, 9:30am - 3:00pm at the Boston College Rochford Campus.
Cost: Free
Apply: To apply for this course, please email employability@boston.ac.uk
Mental Wellbeing
The Entry Level (Entry 3) and Level 1 Mental Wellbeing qualifications provide an introduction to mental wellbeing: what constitutes good mental health and mental ill-health; how to keep mentally healthy; how to recognise deteriorating mental health and support friends and family with mental health issues; how to access available support.
Attendance: This course will take you two sessions to complete. You will attend from Tuesday 8th July to Wednesday 9th July, between 9:30am and 3:00pm each day at the Boston College Rochford Campus.
Cost: Free
Apply: To apply for this course, please email employability@boston.ac.uk
Microsoft Excel Level 1
This course will teach you how to create professional looking documents and posters and includes:
- Creating, saving and opening a variety of documents
- Formatting documents to change the colour, size and style of fonts
- Adding bullets and numbering, aligning text
- Changing margins, inserting graphics, page borders and columns
Attendance: This course will take you three sessions to complete. You will attend from Monday 14th July to Wednesday 16th July, between 9:30am and 3:00pm each day at the Boston College Rochford Campus.
Cost: Free
Apply: To apply for this course, please email employability@boston.ac.uk
Art and Design
Advanced Skirt Making (SC)
The Advanced Skirt Making course has been designed for people with some existing skills in dress making and following a pattern, or who have already completed our Beginners’ Dressmaking course in the autumn term.
In weeks 1 – 3, you will practice box and kick pleats, an inseam pocket and a godet as well as looking at different fitting issues and how to change a waistband to a faced waistband.
In weeks 4 -6, you will make a up a skirt pattern of your choice (support will be available to help you choose) in provided calico fabric so that at the end of the course you are ready to make your new skirt yourself.
You will need to bring your own sewing machine; paper and fabric scissors; thread, pins, and any other general sewing items.
Attendance: Advanced Skirt Making will take you 6 sessions to complete. You will attend college for 1 session per week, starting on Monday 2nd June 2025 1:00pm - 3:00pm, at our Spalding Campus.
Cost: Free
Creative Textiles for Wellbeing (SC)
The Creative Textiles for Wellbeing PCDL course has been designed to introduce you to a range of decorative techniques that can be applied to any textile project and apply one/two of the techniques to a cushion with a zipper or button fastening.
Week 1: Shadow applique and reverse applique
Week 2: Fabric manipulation techniques.
Week 3: 3D fabric flowers. Designing a cushion
Week 4: Apply decoration to a cushion front.
Week 5: Apply a zip or buttons and complete the cushion.
You will need to bring your own sewing machine, thread, fabric scissors and thread snips/scissors, pins and needles, fabric, zip, and interfacing for the cushion.
Attendance: Creative Textiles for Wellbeing will take you 4 sessions to complete. You will attend college for 1 session per week, starting on Wednesday 4th June 2025 1:00pm - 4:00pm, at our Spalding Campus.
Cost: Free
Early Years and Schools
Introduction to the Role of a Teaching Assistant (BC)
This Introduction to the role of a Teaching Assistant course is aimed at those interested in a career in becoming a teaching assistant or learning support in an educational setting. You may be volunteering or starting to work in schools or even just considering this professional pathway.
Completion of this course will give you a deeper understanding of the role of a teaching assistant or learning support and will encourage you to consider what the role entails. You will have fun, hands on activities and it may help you progress to a career in Supporting Teaching & Learning.
Attendance: Introduction to the Role of a Teaching Assistant will take you 1 session to complete. You will attend college on Monday 9th June 2025, 5:00pm - 8:00pm, at our Boston Campus (Rochford).
Cost: Free
Employment and Skills Training
Basic ICT (SC)
The Basic IT Skills course is designed to cover the basics of IT, help build your confidence and develop your skills for employment. During the Basic IT Skills course, you will study Basic IT including –
-Word processing – producing documents
-Saving and printing
-E-mails including uploading documents
-Internet – searching
You can then progress to study the IT Skills Accredited NOCN Units Level 1 course.
Attendance: Basic ICT will take you 4 sessions to complete. You will attend college on Wednesday and Thursday starting from Wednesday 28th May 2025, 10:00am - 1:00pm at our Spalding Campus.
Cost: Free
Wellbeing Courses
Air Frying for Healthy Eating
Cook smarter, eat healthier! Discover how air frying can help you create delicious, nutritious meals with less oil and more flavour.
Attendance: Air Frying for Healthy Eating will take you 3 sessions to complete. You will attend college on Monday 2nd June 2025, 10:00am - 12:00pm, at Tonic Health in Spalding.
Cost: Free
Funded in Partnership with Lincolnshire County Council.
Need some more advice?
If you are unsure about which course is right for you, Boston College Careers Advisers are here to help. The Career Advisers offer FREE impartial Career Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) and are available before you start to college, whilst you are studying at college and when you are ready to take the next step.
If you would like to make an appointment with one of the College's Careers Advisers, they are available by appointment at both the Boston and Spalding campuses, by either calling the College's Information Line on 01205 313218 or by email.