Pottery Courses

We have waiting lists for all our courses. Please email us to join the list for future courses

theclayroomuk@gmail.com

Our courses are suitable for all abilities, from beginners to experienced potters

Beginners

Learn the basics on a structured Introductory course of making, decorating and glazing. We focus on building a strong foundation in hand-building techniques, before progressing onto throwing on the potters wheel.

We will teach you each method of construction, and you can choose how that project will take shape. For instance, we teach you how to make pinch-pots, and you can choose to make a mug, a jug, an ornament, a small vase or pot, or something more abstract, using the pinch-pot technique. We can give you projects if you are stuck for ideas, or you can come with your own ideas. You get to personalise everything you make.

All beginners will get to try throwing on the potters wheel on our courses, but please note:

this is not a throwing course

Improvers

Learn new techniques and improve your skills. Improvers are welcome to work more independently and choose which methods of working you would like to focus on, including throwing on the wheel, and larger scale projects.

Intermediates and Experienced Potters

Experienced potters are welcome on all courses to learn, develop new skills, work on bigger projects and to finesse their work. You choose what processes and techniques you wish to work on.

Duration

  • 6 or 7 weeks in length (depending on term)

  • Courses run throughout the year during term time and summer holidays

Our Teaching Schedule

We follow a school term schedule, with half-term breaks, and two weeks off at Christmas and Easter, and a long summer break.

Our terms look like this - Jan to mid Feb, mid Feb to end of March, mid April to end of May, June to mid July, Sept to end of Oct, Nov to mid Dec

Mornings and Evenings

All our courses have waiting lists, to find out more information please email us and let us know whether you are interested in morning or evening classes.

Morning classes are 10am - 1pm

Evening classes are either 7pm - 9:30pm on Mondays, or 6:30pm - 9:30pm on Wednesdays

What you will learn

  • Making and decorating pottery from scratch

  • Learning and developing hand-building pottery techniques -

    • Pinch pots / thumb pots

    • Coiling

    • Slab work

    • Mould work

  • Throwing on the potters wheel

  • Turning thrown pots, adding handles etc

  • Finessing surfaces - smoothing, adding texture, pattern and design

  • Glazing your work and making it safe for firing

Course price now includes materials credit

Material credit is included in the price of the course. 6 weeks includes £20 towards materials, and 7 weeks includes £25 towards materials. You pay for what you fire and glaze by weight. Eg a bowl that weighs 500g will cost you £5.00 in the regular studio clay bodies, or a little more in specialist clays.

Prices

6 weeks = £236 (or £200 for the 2.5 hour classes on Monday eve)

7 weeks = £277 (or £235 for the 2.5 hour classes on Monday eve)

(All terms are 6 weeks, except September & November terms which are 7 weeks)

What to Bring

We encourage students to buy a basic set of pottery tools (email us if you have any questions)

Bring your own drinks in a bottle, or a lidded cup and milk (we have a kettle etc)

Wear old clothes / bring your own apron

Age Restriction

Our courses are not suitable for children. If you would like to book for a teenager over the age of 15, please contact us first. Under 18’s need to be accompanied by an adult.

Uncollected Pots

Please note - we can only store so many pots at the studio, if you do not collect your pots within 6 months, we do not guarantee they will still be there.