7 Pottery Classes to Try in London This October
Seven standout pottery and ceramics classes in London this October, from a £32 hand-building session to an eight-week beginner wheel course.
Our 7 picks at a glance
October still has a useful spread of pottery classes across London, from a £32 hand-building session to an eight-week wheel course.
We've picked seven that stand out for different reasons: how much time you want to commit, whether you want to be taught, and whether you are starting from scratch or already making pots.
Turning Earth
Best for a beginner wheel course
The course runs from 18:45 to 21:45 at Turning Earth in Leyton, starting 20 October. Centring clay takes repetition, so a course this length makes more sense than a 90-minute throwing taster if you are fairly sure the wheel is what you want.
We'd choose this over a short introductory session if you are ready to spend the autumn learning to throw, and you want a beginner course from a studio people already know.
Morley College
Best for flexible studio time
The listing says all levels, but it is not a taught class and it is not a way to try pottery for the first time. You work on your own projects, with specialist help available rather than a structured lesson.
We'd choose this if you already make pots at Morley and want a cheap, flexible block of studio time instead of signing up for another full course.
The Kiln Rooms
Best for a five-week taster
The course is built as an introduction: hand-building, throwing, decorating and glazing, with demonstrations and time to practise. It starts on 22 October at Caledonian Road, 18:00 to 21:00, and costs £240.
We'd choose this if a 90-minute class feels too short, but you are not ready to spend £340 or more on a longer wheel course.
SkandiHus
Best for Friday evenings
It covers hand-building, wheel throwing, surface decoration and glazing, and the pace is largely up to you. It is listed as all levels. It suits people who already have some hand-building or throwing behind them more than a complete first try.
We'd choose this if you want pottery as a regular Friday evening, and you already know you like working with clay.
Crown Works Pottery
Best beyond beginner
It is six hours on 24 October in Bethnal Green, 11:00 to 17:00, for £320. Most of the other classes here are for people starting out. This one is not.
RHACC
Best for a glazing day
It is for improvers who have completed at least one term-long ceramics course at RHACC and are comfortable in the glaze room. A technician is there. There is no formal teaching. We'd choose it if you already qualify and you want an inexpensive way to glaze a piece, not if you are looking for a first pottery class.
Art Play
Best cheap way to try pottery
The class is hand-building rather than the wheel, so you work directly with the clay. That makes it a gentle start if you have never touched clay before. The Thursday 29 October session in Chelsea runs from 17:30 to 19:00. There is also a Saturday 31 October session, 11:00 to 12:30, if a weekend suits you better.
We'd choose this if you are curious about pottery and do not want to spend hundreds of pounds before you know whether you like it.
Which pottery class should you choose?
If you have never tried pottery, start small. Art Play's hand-building class is the one that asks the least of you.
If you want more than 90 minutes, and you are happy to begin with both hand-building and the wheel, The Kiln Rooms' five-week taster is the bridge. If you already know the wheel is what you want, Turning Earth's eight-week course is the substantial beginner option.
Crown Works is the one to look at if you are past beginner and want a full Saturday with an intermediate class. SkandiHus is the Friday-evening course, and it makes more sense once you have already handled clay.
Morley College and RHACC are different again. Both are inexpensive, and both are for people who already study ceramics there: studio time at Morley, and an untutored glazing morning at RHACC.
How we chose these classes
Learn.London tracks upcoming pottery and ceramics classes across London. For this guide, we picked seven that stood out for their mix of format, price, schedule, location and the type of learner they suit.
We also wanted different ways into pottery this October: a cheap hand-building session, a five-week introduction, a beginner wheel course, a Friday-evening course, an intermediate day, and two options for people who already make work at a college.
Providers do not pay to be included in our editorial picks.
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