Autumn’s Enquiring Minds

Looking for inspiration in our autumn education listings? As the city tilts towards autumn, classrooms, studios and lecture halls stir back to life. From practical short courses to serious study, London offers a thoughtful sweep of opportunities across the arts, languages, science and professional development. Whether you are returning to a long-held interest or starting from scratch, this season’s listings invite you to learn with purpose, meet expert tutors and join a community of curious minds.

Arts

Painting from plants and flowers

City Lit
You will be introduced to a selection of different painting media and techniques to describe and observe plants and flowers through inventive mark-making, mixing colour and working to different scale. You will be encouraged to take an experimental approach, taking inspiration from a variety of exciting contemporary artists. You will also look at the history and techniques of painting flowers and plants, working with a wide variety of materials including gouache and watercolour, plus soft pastels and acrylic paint. Each week you will look at different artist techniques to inspire a personal response.
citylit.ac.uk
See website for dates.

Business & Law

Presentation Skills Training

City Academy
Success in business doesn’t just mean a great presentation, it also means a great presenter. Compelling communication enhances every aspect of the working environment, from connecting with your team, to organic sales pitches, effective reporting and that all-important presentation to stakeholders. The arts have long informed business communication, utilising performance and storytelling techniques to calm nerves and convey confidence. Led by one of 25 business tutors, our practical, flexible Presentation Skills training course uses arts methodology to hone personal presentation. Applied performance skills increase confidence and perfect delivery to audiences, stakeholders, colleagues and cameras.
city-academy.com
See website for dates.

Culinary

Mastering Macarons – Macaron Making Course

Le Cordon Bleu
Learn to create perfect macaron (French macaroon) every time with this Mastering Macarons one-day cooking course in London. A Pâtisserie Chef will teach you how to produce the four main types of macaron, leading you through the crucial stages of the French macaron-making process. A six-hour group practical lesson (inclusive of a 30-minute break), all ingredients, a recipe booklet, an apron and tea towel. After completing this cookery course, you will leave with all items created during the day along with a mastery of macaron techniques. No prior knowledge is required for this course and it is suitable for both novices and cooks with some experience.
cordonbleu.edu
8 November

History & Culture

Introduction to Renaissance Italian 2025

University of London
The Warburg Institute offers Introduction to Renaissance Italian as a virtual class via Zoom. The course caters to students who possess a solid understanding of modern Italian but lack familiarity with the Renaissance language. Its key aim is to build the skills and confidence necessary to begin navigating primary textual sources in Italian from the fourteenth to the seventeenth century. It is designed as a complement and preface to our two-term Renaissance Italian Advanced course, which runs between October and March.
sas.ac.uk
See website for dates.

Language

Beginners Portuguese

International House London
Online Portuguese Level 1 course is a Beginners course for students who have never studied the language before. The Portuguese language classes take place via Zoom with a qualified, experienced teacher and fellow students. The interactive lessons emulate the face-to-face classes, and via teacher screen-sharing, students are able to experience a live classroom environment. From vocabulary activities and covering grammar points on the whiteboard, to listening exercises, file sharing and ‘break-out rooms’ to practise speaking with classmates, students can learn without leaving the comfort of their homes.
ihlondon.com
See website for more information.

Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths

An Introduction to Life in the Universe

Royal Museums Greenwich
Is our planet the only place in the Universe with life? Or is it everywhere in the Universe, just waiting to be found? This six-week course is designed to explore these possibilities, is designed for beginners and taught by a tutor from Royal Observatory Greenwich. This online course outlines the ongoing studies concerning life in the Universe and an introduction to astrobiology. Students will learn about what it is that makes Earth suitable for life, uncover the difficulties astronomers encounter when looking for those conditions elsewhere in the Universe, and take a brief look into our search for intelligent life using the most advanced instruments we have at our disposal, including the James Webb Space Telescope.
rmg.co.uk
See website for dates.

Sport & Fitness

Cycle Skills

TfL
Free cycle training is available for all abilities. So, whether you’re a new or regular cyclist, you can improve your skills. Improve your basic skills to feel more confident. You can learn one-to-one or in a group with an instructor. Training is provided by boroughs across London.

Compiled & edited by Fahad Redha

For more education listings and course recommendations across London, follow EyeOnLondon. Tell us which class you’re taking this autumn in the comments.

[Image Credit | BBC Sky at Night Magazine]

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