Foundations: Handbuilding & Wheel Throwing Course
Foundations: Handbuilding & Wheel Throwing Course
Learn the core techniques of pottery — from handbuilding to wheel throwing — in a relaxed, supportive studio course designed for beginners.
Each week builds on the last, helping you gain confidence and independence with clay in a small, supportive group setting.
By the end of the course, you'll have created a small collection of finished pieces and gained the skills needed to continue developing your pottery practice.
Dates and times are selected via the booking options.
Additional costs apply only for pieces you choose to keep (covers clay, glazing, and firing).
If You Choose the 4-Week Course, Expect:
- Introduction to clay and essential studio tools
- Handbuilding foundations – pinch and slab techniques
- Simple surface decoration and texture exploration
- Week 3: Introduction to wheel throwing – centering and forming
- Week 4: Trimming and refining your thrown pieces
- Demonstrations and individual guidance throughout
If You Choose the 6-Week Course, Expect:
- Everything included in the 4-week course
- More time developing confidence on the wheel
- Trimming techniques and refining forms
- Surface decoration and texture exploration
- Expanded glazing techniques and finishes
- Greater opportunity to experiment and develop your own style
Who It’s For
- Complete beginners
- Those wanting to try both handbuilding and wheel throwing
- Anyone looking for a relaxed, creative outlet
- Returning students wanting to strengthen their foundations
Continue Your Clay Journey
Many students choose to continue their pottery journey after completing the Foundations Course. Our Improvers: Handbuilding & Wheel Throwing Course gives you more time to develop your skills, explore your own ideas, and build confidence working with clay.
Explore the Improvers Course
Refunds & Attendance
Our courses are small and places are limited, so bookings must be paid in full at the time of registration.
If you need to cancel, please let us know in writing as soon as possible. A small admin fee (10%) applies to all refunds.
- More than 3 weeks before the start date – 80% refund
- 2–3 weeks before – 40% refund
- Less than 2 weeks before – no refund
You’re welcome to transfer your booking to another person if you can’t attend. Unfortunately, transfers between different courses aren’t possible.
If the tutor is unable to run a session, we’ll arrange a suitable catch-up for the group or refund that session. In the unlikely event the full course can’t run, you’ll receive a full refund.
Pottery relies on timing and studio space, so missed sessions are difficult to make up. We’ll do our best to help where possible, but please be aware that rescheduling isn’t always an option.