If you are interested in any of the courses listed below, please get in touch and we will let you know when we have places available on a course.  (On all our courses priority booking is given to ringers from our affiliated towers.)

 

Most of these courses will be held at the Ringing School, to take advantage of our easy-going bells and our simulator system. However if several people in an affiliated tower have similar needs, we can look at whether we can arrange a course in your own tower, with the advantage of familiarity with your own bells.  Please note:  all courses will include theory and practical learning.

 

"Thank you for an excellent course and also to your helpers for their help and support. "

Ellen

 

"Thankyou to Monica Stuart & Ellis for always being happy to help and encouraging. The course has helped build my confidence and they are a great idea for all levels of ringing."

Elaine

 

In applying for a course place please make sure your ringing experience and ability complies with the prerequisites for the topic you choose. We relate the skills needed for each course to Learning the Ropes levels, as this is the syllabus we use to teach new ringers at STARS - please see LtR for more information on what this means for each level. If you are overly ambitious, you will probably not get the most benefit from the course. If you are not sure whether you meet the all the prerequisities needed please talk to your Tower Captain or contact us for advice.

 

Equally it is important to realise these are courses (learning a new skill, including theory) and not a targeted practice (practising something you can already do-ish, but want to do better) If you already know the theory and it's just more practice you are after, attending one of our targeted practices may be more appropriate.

 

STARS Basic Skills Course

Learn how to improve your bell control and refine your technique. Learn how to ring quicker and slower, count your place, change places, dodge with other bells, etc. Start to develop your rope sight skills and  your listening and counting skills.

Prerequisites: Must be able to handle a bell safely and independently and have started learning how to ring rounds with others. If you are following the Learning the Ropes scheme you should have completed Level 1. (Please see LtR for more information.) If you are not at this stage yet, please speak to your bell handling teacher or contact us about bell handling lessons.

Learning outcomes: Improved bell control. Development of basic rope sight, listening and counting skills.

 

What did you enjoy most about the course? "Lots of time ringing and great practical advice from all the helpers. You always explain new things as we move on with our ringing and build our confidence ringing with others. Thankyou."

Carole

 

What did you enjoy most about the course? "I enjoyed switcheroo, but it was all enjoyable. It was good to ring different bells and try to make the necessary adjustments in speed, whilst feeling supported in my learning. THANK YOU."

Jean

 

 

* New* STARS Leading and Covering Course

Learn how to Lead and also how to Cover (Tenor behind) to methods. Develop your rope sight, listening and place counting skills.

Prerequisites: Must be able to handle a bell safely and independently. Must be able to ring steadily in rounds with others and know how to change the speed of your bell. If you are following the Learning the Ropes scheme, as a minimum you should have completed Level 1.and be a good way through Level 2 (Please see LtR for more information.) 

Learning outcomes: Development of Leading and Covering skills. Development of basic rope sight, listening and counting skills.

STARS Plain Hunt Course

Learn how to plain  hunt - this course covers both theory and practical. We will break this down into small stepping stones so that you can develop the skills and understanding needed to ring Plain Hunt.

Prerequisites: Must have sufficient bell control to lead/cover accurately, be able to strike your bell in rounds with reasonable accuracy and know how to change the speed of your bell.. If you are following the Learning the Ropes scheme you should have completed Level 2.  (Please see LtR for more information.) Good bell control is essential before you progress to Plain Hunt - If needed do the Basic Skills course first.

Learning outcome: Ability to count your place and ring Plain Hunt Doubles from any bell.

 

What did you enjoy most about the course? "The way the tutor kept things moving along so the students were given as much opportunity as possible."

Rob

"Many thanks for arranging this informative course and for the lovely helpers who gave their time and knowledge too."

Carole

 

STARS Striking and Listening Course

If you find it hard to hear your bell, making it hard to use what you hear to help you strike accurately, or if people tell you to 'listen' to your striking but you don't know how to do so, this is the course for you. Learn how to hear and strike your bell accurately.

Prerequisites: If you are following the Learning the Ropes scheme you should have completed Level 2.  (Please see LtR for more information.) Good bell control is essential - If needed do the Basic Skills course first.

Learning outcomes: Ability to hear your own bell and count your place in a row. Ability to hear whether you are striking early or late and therefore adjust your bell accordingly.

 

"I really feel I benefited from the course and appreciate it very much"

Shaun

 

STARS Ringing Up and Down (Single Bell) Course

Learn the skills needed to ring a bell up and down independently. The process will be broken down into small steps which we gradually build on until you can ring up and down without any help.

Prerequisites: Good bell handling is essential. We teach ringing up and down as standard as part of Learning the Ropes scheme Level 1. If you are not using Learning the Ropes you should be able to meet the standard of Level 1  bell handling other than this element.  (Please see LtR for more information.) 

Learning outcome: Ability to ring a bell up and down safely and independently.

 

What did you enjoy most about the course? "Getting to grips with something that has eluded me for so long."

Gerald

 

"You explained everything so clearly and remained perfectly calm when I got in a pickle. This filled me with confidence and meant I progressed much more quickly. It was great to have so much practice."

Lynn

 

STARS Ringing Up and Down in Peal Course

Learn how to ring a bell up and down in peal - this course covers both theory and practical. If you can already do this fairly well or pick the skills up quickly on the day, you may also have the opportunity to start to learn about leading up and down in peal.

Prerequisites: Must be able to ring a single bell up and down safely, confidently and independently and be able to control the speed of your bell as you raise and lower. - If needed do the Ringing Up and Down course first. If you are following the Learning the Ropes scheme you should have completed at least Level 2 and ideally be a good way through Level 3. (Please see LtR for more information.) 

Learning outcome: Ability to ring a bell up and down in peal on 6.

 

“Thank you.....I have really floundering around at the same level for the past two years. I now feel that I am really progressing and I have got the excitement back into my bell ringing. You teachers and helpers are fabulous!”

Jo

 

STARS Plain Bob Course

Learn how to ring Plain Bob Doubles. (This course will cover theory and practical and pre-course "homework".) We will start by teaching the work of a plain course. Depending on the speed of progression and if time allows we will also look at what happens at a Bob so you can start to learn how to ring touches.

Prerequisites: If you are following the Learning the Ropes scheme you should have completed Level 3.  (Please see LtR for more information.) Must be confident ringing Plain Hunt Doubles (on 5 bells) from any bell and covering/trebling to Doubles methods. Must have sufficient bell control to lead accurately and be able to strike your bell to Plain Hunt with reasonable accuracy - If needed do the Plain Hunt and/or Striking and Listening courses first.

Learning outcome: Ability to ring a plain course of Plain Bob Doubles from any inside bell.  

 

What did you enjoy most about the course? "The help, advice and patience from the tutors, helper and other students. The opportunity to practice with excellent ringers was much appreciated."

Raj

"The tutors were friendly and approachable and put everyone at their ease."

Anne

"All the helpers are so helpful and extremely tolerant! They are very supportive. Although I am aware that I am a long way from fully mastering PB, a number of ‘pennies’ dropped today."

Sian

 

 

If you are interested in developing skills not covered by one of the courses above, please contact us as we would love to add to our course portfolio if there is sufficient demand.