This 5-week course is designed to guide absolute beginners through the essential techniques of pottery wheel throwing, or for those looking to refresh their skills and return to the pottery wheel.
Starting 16th January 2027, classes run on Saturday mornings for 2.5 hours per week (09:30–12:00). You'll move from an introduction to clay and preparing your materials, to learning the foundations of wheel throwing, developing different forms, trimming and glazing.
By the end of the course, if you attend all dates, you can expect to have developed an understanding of the pottery wheel and the processes involved in creating wheel-thrown ceramics. You'll have made a selection of your own pieces and experienced the process of transforming raw clay into finished ceramics. You'll also be ready to progress to our Continued Practice course, should you want to continue developing your skills.
Expect a relaxed, supportive atmosphere with plenty of time for practice and experimentation.
If you're interested in exploring a broader range of pottery techniques, including handbuilding, our 6-week Introduction to Pottery course may be a better fit. These courses run on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. See our other course listings in the Shop for further information.
Course overview
Week 1, 16th January: Induction, introduction to the studio and clay. Preparing clay and starting on the pottery wheel.
Week 2, 23rd January: Wheel throwing continued. Developing your technique, pulling walls and creating simple forms.
Week 3, 30th January: Developing forms, throwing practice, trimming and refining previously made pieces.
Week 4, 6th February: Continued throwing practice, experimenting with different shapes and developing consistency.
Week 5, 13th February: Further throwing practice, trimming and glazing pieces ready for their final firing.
There may be some variation to sessions depending on participants' paces, but generally we follow the schedule above. Unfortunately, alternative session times are not available for this course, and missed sessions cannot be rescheduled or replaced.
If you miss a session, I'll do my best to help you catch up on any techniques during the remaining sessions of your course, where time allows.
Class size: A maximum of 6 participants.
If fewer than 3 people book five days before the start date, you'll be offered an alternative date or a full refund.
Payment:
Payment can be made via an instalment plan of 2 or 3 payments. Email me for more details: hello@rmostudio.com
(Discounts do not apply to instalment plans.)
Location:
Wellington Yard, L15 4JH
Further information about finding the studio will be shared in the week before your course.
Other info:
Ceramics can be surprisingly physical. You will need a reasonable amount of dexterity in your hands, as well as good grip strength. If you have any questions or uncertainties about this, please get in touch before booking.
Courses are for ages 16+. Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult. I'm also working on options for younger creatives!
The studio can be cold in cooler weather. Heaters are provided, but please dress accordingly.
Any work that isn't glazed during the final session, including pieces that haven't yet gone through their first firing, will be glazed by studio staff using one of the studio glazes. Alternatively, you can book a Studio Access session to glaze your work yourself (additional cost applies).
Once glazed and fired after your final session, items will be available to collect from the studio. This usually takes around 2 weeks, but please wait for an email from me confirming when your work is ready.
Finished items will be kept for 14 days after collection notification and disposed of if not collected. This is due to limited storage space within the studio, where my own and students' work is continually being added. Items will be held over studio closure periods.
Once a course has been purchased, I'll email you in the week before the first session with additional information.
Please read and familiarise yourself with our refund and cancellation policy before booking: www.rmostudio.com/workshops/studiorefundpolicy
Photography & Recording
You're welcome to take a few quick photos or short video clips of your own work for personal use or social media, provided it doesn't disrupt the class or capture other participants without their permission.
To protect the learning experience and everyone's privacy, recording substantial parts of a class, audio recording, livestreaming, or using wearable recording devices (including Meta smart glasses) is not permitted.