Pottery Classes
8-week classes
Exploring Ceramics is an ideal course for beginners of all ages whilst still catering for more experienced potters who want to come and use our workshop facilities. Learn new skills with our pottery and sculpture teachers.
8-week Exploring Ceramics at The Shire Workshops
During the Exploring Ceramics course, you will have the opportunity to learn:
- How to throw pots on the pottery wheel
- How to handbuild pots using clay slabs and coils
- Some decorating techniques and glazing
- For those interested in sculpture techniques, the classes run by Joe, Bob or Helen are most suitable
Meet our teachers to see details of which classes they each supervise.
At the end of the course, you will have your own finished pottery pieces to take home.
Got a question? Please get in touch.
What’s included in the pottery course
Your 8-week pottery course is £200 for your first course, and £160 for following courses, plus an amount for any pieces you decide to have fired calculated by weight. This covers clay, glaze, firing, and handling costs. It’s usually around £6 – £10 for an average-sized mug or bowl, or £20+ for larger pieces such as vases or large sculptures. If your pot requires grinding because the glaze has run off the bottom of the pot, we ask for a £5 donation towards our costs for grinding pots and buying new shelves.
Class Times and How to Book
The Class you book will run at the same time each week:
Monday
- 4:30pm to 6:30pm
- 7:15pm to 9:15pm
Tuesday
- 4:30pm to 6:30pm
- 7:15pm to 9:15pm
Wednesday
- 4.30pm to 6.30pm
- 7:15pm to 9:15pm
Thursday
- 10:00am to 12:00pm
- 1:00pm to 3:00pm
- 7:15pm to 9:15pm
Friday
- 10:00am to 12:00pm
- 1:00pm to 3:00pm
- 7:15pm to 9:15pm
Saturday
- 10:00am to 12:00pm
We also offer daytime pottery studio times and individual and group tuition. Contact us to arrange.
Use the studio as if it were your own
The Shire Workshops studio is available to book in 1-hour time slots so that you can work on your projects and skills development. This is a great option for more experienced potters and ceramicists. It’s also ideal for those who want to practice the new skills they have been learning in the classes.
You can book:
- Workbench time to perfect your hand building techniques or work with glazes and surface decoration
- Pottery wheel time to practice your throwing and turning skills
Raku Pottery Workshops
Find out when our next Raku workshop days are planned and book!
Pal Tiya Sculpture Workshops
Find out when our next Pal Tiya Premium One-Day Sculpture Workshops are planned, and book!
Student Gallery
Have a look at some of the work our students have created this year!
Refund Policy
Please read the following information before booking
If you need to cancel a booking we can give you a full refund with 30 days’ notice before the event. If less than 30 days we can provide a refund only if we can find a replacement for your place. If we can’t find a replacement to offer you a refund, we will keep your details and offer you a place on another course/day if it doesn’t fill up within 2 days of the start date. Or, we can give you the amount as a credit/voucher to be used as un-tutored workshop time.
Catchup sessions
The catch-up service is provided as a time-limited gesture of goodwill subject to availability.
For the 8-week Exploring Ceramics classes, we offer catch-up sessions if you are not able to attend any of your classes. You can use catch-up sessions during the period of your 8-week course through prior arrangements, by booking to join another class where there are absentees. If you still have catch-up sessions outstanding at the end of your 8-week course, you will have a further 8 weeks to use any missed sessions.
If you can only catch up when no classes are running, please be aware that any help will be limited, as staff will be engaged in the necessary day-to-day tasks needed to run the studio.
For details of our full price list of workshop services, please see here or click the button below.
For details of our terms and conditions including payments, refunds, catch-up sessions, use of the studio, and health and safety, please see here or click the button below.