Taster Sessions & Experience Days
Will you contact me again before the event?
Yes, we will send an email to the address provided 10-12 days before. This will give you all the information you will need to know. Do add us to your contacts and check your junk mail folder if you don’t receive the email.
can children attend?
Children aged 15 and over are welcome to attend Taster Sessions and Experience Days if accompanied by an adult.
Do I need to bring anything?
No, we will supply aprons and all equipment and materials.
will I be able to take my work home on the day?
All ceramic work must be bisque fired, glazed and then fired again. This is a long process so it will not be possible for students to take their work home on the same day. Your work will be ready to collect around 3-4 weeks after the date of your session. We will be in touch with you once your work is ready for collection and you can also check HERE for updates.
We are limited for space and we are only able to keep work for 2 months after we have notified you that it is ready for collection.
Will we be provided with refreshments?
Yes. All of our taster sessions include a tea break with a selection of coffee, teas and cakes. Our Experience Day includes a delicious two course lunch, as well as other refreshments throughout the day. Do let us know if you have any special dietary requirements and we will be happy to accommodate these.
Are there any additional charges?
No, everything is included in the session price and there is no additional cost to fire your work.
Can I change the date of the Taster/Experience Day I have booked?
Yes, you can change the date as long as it is more than five working days before the event, subject to availability. Please email us to request a change of date. You can see full details of our policies on our terms and conditions page.
What happens if I’m ill on the day or can’t attend for another reason?
Unfortunately we will not be able to offer you a refund or an alternative session without adequate notice as we will not be able to fill your space. You can see full details of our policies on our terms and conditions page.
Gift Vouchers
How do I redeem my gift voucher?
You can redeem your gift voucher by booking online for a workshop or course. Once you have added the session or course you would like to attend to your basket you can proceed to the checkout where you will be given the option to enter a ‘Gift or Discount Code’ to redeem your voucher.
Does my gift voucher have an expiry date?
E-vouchers are valid indefinitely. Card vouchers should always be accompanied by a copy of an e-voucher which will contain a booking code.
We no longer issue card vouchers without having an e-voucher order. If you do have an old card voucher this will have an expiry date which will be one year from the date that it was issued.
Termly Classes
Are termly classes suitable for complete beginners?
We welcome potters of all levels including complete beginners. Our expert tutors will be able to teach the basic skills and develop your practice as you improve. We offer a relaxed beginner curriculum in all our adult pottery classes.
I am fairly advanced - are the termly classes going to be suitable for me?
Yes! We welcome potters of all levels including advanced throwers, sculptors and hand builders etc. Our expert tutors will be able to guide and develop your practice further.
What should I wear?
You should wear comfortable clothes which you don’t mind getting a bit of clay on! Layers can be a good idea as temperatures can be a little variable. All students should wear comfortable, flat shoes with non-slip soles and covered toes, and bring an apron/cover-up. Long hair should be tied back for wheel work. We also recommend that jewellery, watches and other valuables are left at home.
Will we be provided with refreshments?
Yes. Within all of our termly classes we include a tea break which includes a lovely selection of coffee, teas and cakes.
Do I need to bring any tools?
You will not need to bring any tools as we have everything you need at the studio. You are, however, welcome to bring your own tools if you prefer to use them.
Is there a weekly plan for the termly classes?
Classes are delivered in a relaxed way and are not too rigid or structured. We feel that it’s important for students to be able to work on their own practice and at their own pace. Tutors do set projects for those who want to take part and these can be interpreted in different ways to suit a variety of skill levels. All students will receive advice and guidance from the tutors and can expect development throughout the duration of the term.
What happens if I miss a class?
We offer a catch-up service for any missed termly classes. We only have capacity for a small number of catch-up students per session, and catch-ups are not available in all of our sessions, so advance booking is always required.
Catch-ups are untutored and use of a wheel cannot be guaranteed. Any catch-up sessions must be taken within the term the class was missed - we cannot carry over any catch-up sessions into another term.
We do not offer catch-up sessions for our Short Courses.
Are there any additional costs involved - are firing and glazing included?
There is a small firing charge for termly students of £4 per 500g of glazed work and £5 for work with oxide. Please note that from 27th February 2023 this will increase to £5 per 500g and £6 for work with oxide.
Any work that is over 30cm in width or length will be charged at double the cost.
The Studio
Is there free parking?
Yes. There is free parking directly outside the studio. We do ask that you are mindful when parking so that we can maximise on the space we have and also to be respectful of our neighbours.
Wheelchair Access
Our studio is wheelchair accessible to the majority of users with standard sized chairs. There is a wheelchair-accessible toilet in the new studio, The Grain Store, which can be accessed easily from the car park. Unfortunately we do not have any wheelchair accessible pottery wheels but our benches are suitable for wheelchair users to hand build or sculpt.
Do you offer a firing service?
No, we do not offer a firing service for work produced outside of our studio.
Do you charge for firing?
Yes, please see our firing charge below:
FIRED WORK
We may refuse to fire work if we consider that this would be a risk to other work and/or our kilns.
We do not offer a firing service for work produced outside of the studio.
There is a small charge for fired work. Charges are as follows:
£5 per 500g for glazed work
£6 per 500g for glazed work with oxide
£10 per 500g for any glazed work over 30cm in height or width
£2 per 500g for work that is bisque fired but not glazed
Please also note that The Ceramic Studio does not offer a glazing service.
Do you offer drop-in sessions?
We are not able to offer drop-in sessions as we run termly classes everyday and do not have studio capacity to do this.
Do you offer studio memberships?
No, we do not offer studio memberships. Our termly classes run throughout the week and we do not have any spare studio space.
Where is the studio?
The studio is located on Hononton Farms amongst beautiful apple orchards. Our address is:
The Old Workshop
Hononton Farm
Furnace Lane
Brenchley
TN12 7BX
Please note that you must enter through the Furnace Lane entrance and not from the Crook Road. There is an electric gate which you need to approach before it will slowly open.
