Pottery Courses

Please email us to join the list for future courses

theclayroomuk@gmail.com


We always have waiting lists for our pottery courses, so we suggest booking a Clay Taster Workshop to get a taste for what we do and see if you like it! Our Taster Workshops run each month and can be booked here!

All our courses are mixed abilities, and are suitable for beginners, improvers and experienced potters

Beginners

You will learn the basics on a structured introductory course of making, decorating and glazing.

We focus on building a strong foundation in a variety of skills, including hand-building, decoration, throwing on the wheel and glazing.

We do not stand at the front of the class and tell you what to do. We will show you a technique in stages with demonstrations, and allow you to get on with your work at your own pace, keeping an eye on your progress. Classes are small so we are always on hand to give help and advice.

For example - we will teach you the pinch-pot technique. You choose what you want to make, like a mug, something ornamental, a small vase or pot etc, 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 through shape, surface decoration and glazing.

Everyone will get to try throwing on the potters wheel and how to turn bases as part of this course.

Our courses run on a rolling basis which means you can keep coming to lessons to learn more.

Intermediates and Experienced Potters

You will learn new techniques and improve your skills, focusing on finessing your work and making more ambitious projects.

Improvers can choose which methods of working you would like to focus on. We can do refresher lessons on any of the techniques you have already learnt.

Experienced potters can focus on the techniques and projects of their choosing.

We encourage you to keep a record of your making, making notes and small sketches for your projects to help you learn and develop your ideas.

We also encourage testing and experimenting to develop you work, making test tiles for larger projects .

We run complex term-based projects several times a year that are open to all, like making teapots, garden sculptures and moon jars. Design and material research like testing surfaces and glazes help inform your final pieces.

Duration

  • 6 or 7 weeks in length (depending on the term) one class per week

Our Teaching Schedule

We follow a school term schedule, with half-term breaks, Christmas and Easter holidays, and a long summer break.

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

10am - 1pm on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays

Evening classes

7pm - 9:30pm on Mondays and Tuesdays

6:30pm - 9:30pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays

What you will learn

  • Multiple construction techniques - learning and developing hand-building pottery techniques

    • Pinch pots / thumb pots

    • Coiling

    • Slab work

    • Mould work

    • Free-form sculpture / modelling

  • Throwing on the potters wheel, centring clay, pulling up and shaping

  • Turning thrown pots, adding handles etc

  • Which clay body is the best for your project - we stock various different types of clay including smooth and grogged, white, buff, grey, red and black clays.

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

  • Glazing your work and making it safe for firing

Course price 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 like black clay.

Prices

All terms are 6 weeks, except for the September & November terms which are 7 weeks long

6 weeks = £250 (or £215 for Monday and Tuesday evening courses)

7 weeks = £290 (or £250 for Monday and Tuesday evening courses)

What to Bring

We encourage students to buy a basic set of pottery tools (email us if you have any questions) please label them with your name or initials. The Clay Cellar is our local supplier and they do a good Beginner Set

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

Bring a note book or sketchbook to keep track of your ideas, and what clay and glazes you use etc

Age Restriction

If you would like to book for a teenager over the age of 12, 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 3 months, we will throw them away.