Conscious Studio Pottery - Studio Schedule

 

Housekeeping:

 

• Our programming offers flexibility to suit varied schedules; therefore, session dates and timings may differ depending on the specific session enrolled. 

 

• Please appreciate that Pottery and Ceramics involve numerous natural variabilities in their outcomes and are not an exact science. Therefore, results are entirely unpredictable, can vary and cannot be guaranteed. 

 

• Please arrive 5 minutes before the start of your session and leave no later than 15 minutes after the session finishes, and once your workstation is thoroughly tidied and cleaned. We allocate specific session timings to allow for a smooth transition as Tutors prepare studio spaces for other Students. 

 

• At the beginning of each new Session or Course, a completed and signed Student Contract and Studio Schedule will be required to ensure we have up-to-date information about you for insurance/safety purposes.

 

• Please confirm and sign the photography/videography consent form, as detailed on the Student Contact.

 

• Please check your booking confirmation email for the precise time of your chosen sessions. 

 

• Should you wish to cancel a booking, please refer to our Terms and Conditions, which detail the 14-day cooling-off period. Our policies are presented in full at www.consciousstudio.co.uk 

 

• We understand that unexpected delays can happen, but if you arrive late, please note that we cannot extend your session, replace the time missed or provide a partial refund.

• If you cannot attend or miss a session, please refer to our Terms and Conditions. 

• We aim to accommodate a range of availability within our timetable, so please let us know if you have any specific Learning or Course requests. We are always happy to explore alternative programming options, as our goal is to support each student's pottery journey in a thoughtful, personalised manner.

 

• For the benefit of everyone, our Studio standard is a kind, respectful, polite, and positive environment; therefore, negative behaviours are not permissible.

 

Studio Equipment and Working Spaces:

 

• Please ensure that all tools and equipment is cleaned, then dried thoroughly, cared for during and after use, and returned to their original storage space.

 

• Please ensure that your workspace is thoroughly cleaned and left, as you would appreciate finding it at least fifteen minutes before the completion of any session.

 

• The removal of Studio items, such as tools, Clay, Books, or any other items, without permission is unacceptable. Please ask for permission first!
   

Health and Safety:

 

• Appropriate, old clothing of no preference to you or value is required in our studio spaces, along with enclosed-toe shoes for your safety. 

 

• Please bring an apron or old T-shirt with you to protect your clothing, although some are available upon request if necessary. 

 

• If you prefer to use a towel when wheel-throwing, please bring one with you. We cannot provide them.

 

• Please do not take Handbags or Coats into any Studio working areas. They are a hazard and should, therefore, be stored securely elsewhere.

 

• All valuables, especially Jewellery, should be removed before every session and kept at home for safety. We cannot be held responsible for the loss of such items.

 

• Should a First Aid Kit be required, please inform a member of staff immediately. They will ensure that a First Aider assists you and completes the Accident Book. 

 

• Please refrain from eating and drinking on the workstations and around workspaces.

 

• When cleaning the pottery wheels, please ensure they are turned off first and that only water and gentle cloths are used.

 

• If you need to sand a pottery piece, please do so using water and follow our mask and ventilation protocols for your health and safety.

 

• Sweeping dry clay dust can be extremely hazardous to your health, so please use a damp sponge or cloth when cleaning in the studio.

 

• There shall be no unauthorised use or movement of the kilns or other equipment under any circumstances.

 

• When using Oxides, a mask must be worn, and Pregnant Women must not use them under any circumstances!

 

• Please monitor children who will also require a full-paying adult to accompany them at all times on our premises.

 

• Should the fire alarm sound or a fire occur, please evacuate calmly to the designated meeting point.

 

• As a matter of the highest importance, we request that you inform Tutors well in advance if you are experiencing any potential or confirmed illness! This is especially true if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or test positive within ten days of your start date or at any point during your time with us!
   

We provide an accessibility and inclusivity-aware community welcoming individuals with disabilities, health conditions, impairments, non-visible disabilities, and those who are immunosuppressed. We, therefore, strive to protect us all, so thank you for your cooperation and understanding :)

 

Glazing and Decoration:

 

• Should you wish to use additional items such as Glazes, Slips, Stains, Oxides or Transfers, please ask your Tutor for availability, complete the withdrawal form, and make full payment.

 

• Please use the Mayco Stroke & Coat Underglazes only on small pieces of work weighing less than 225g. We have additional options available for larger pieces.

 

• Tutors must be informed and present before you double-dip or combine glazes.

 

• Please ensure that the bottoms of all pieces are well-cleaned and free from glazes (especially before waxing, if necessary).

 

• If a student's pottery damages the kiln or shelves due to a glazing error or insufficient wiping of the bottoms, we will need to request a contribution to repair or replace the damaged shelf or shelves. Glazing fees will still apply.

 

• Please use the appropriate glazing sinks for related sanding, glazing, slips and oxides. 

 

Fired Pottery:

 

• Should we consider a student’s pottery pieces to be a risk to other people's work and/or our Kilns, then we reserve the right to refuse a firing service. 

 

• Please expect up to 8 weeks for your pieces to be fired. This is to allow for variations in the materials used by each student and to ensure the safety of each piece as best we can. 

 

• If you produce work at a pottery studio or elsewhere outside Conscious Studio Pottery's premises using unknown materials, we offer a firing service only if Kiln Share Support is available.

 

• Fees will be payable by Students using additional Underglazes, Glazes, Decorations, Transfers, Firing or Clay provided over and above:

 

Courses - 350g (1lbs)

 

Experience Days - 700g (2lbs)

 

Additional Payments are due at the end of your Session in Cash, via Bank Transfer or Debit Card as follows: 

 

Kiln Firing - Courses/Experience Days £2.50

Stroke & Coat UnderGlazes £4.00

Specialist Glazes £6.50 

Each Piece, Including Oxides or Slips £6.50

1lb of Additional Clay £3.00

4lb of Additional Clay £8.00

Each 8x10cm Under Glaze Transfers £3.00  

 

Student Work:

 

• Please ensure that only you or a member of staff handles your pieces with care and patience. Be very careful and do not touch work that doesn’t belong to you.   

 

• Your created pottery pieces must be labelled with your name, the clay and materials used, and the date of creation! 

 

• Every completed piece must be either covered in plastic on the provided shelving or placed in damp boxes to ensure it can dry slowly and thoroughly.

 

• Until your pottery creations have been bisque-fired, they are exceptionally delicate, so please be aware of this at all times.

 

• Wheel-thrown pieces should be placed on the shelving and left overnight to firm. When it is safe to do so without a risk of distortion, we will cover this work for you within 24 hours.

 

• Please be aware that any plastic coverings or wrapped bags contain delicate, damp student work, so do not touch them.

 

• Please be aware that your pottery pieces cannot be kept in damp storage for more than a week, nor can they be maintained indefinitely.  

 

• Storage of completed ceramic pieces is limited to two months per piece unless otherwise agreed. 

 

• Suppose you wish to use our Rolling facility to enrol in another Six-Week Pottery Course immediately upon completing your current course. In that case, we require notification and payment within four weeks of the start date. Unfortunately, such spaces cannot be guaranteed, but you will be given first refusal, and we will do our best to accommodate you.

 

Recycling:

 

• Please always ensure that the various clay bodies are accurately sorted into the correct storage bins, as marked by the Studio, so that this valuable resource can be used and recycled effectively! If you need further clarification or require additional guidance, please don't hesitate to ask the tutors; we are always happy to help.

 

This Studio schedule aims to clarify the Conscious Studio Pottery guidelines most respectfully while nurturing your creative growth within our world! 

 

By receiving this agreement, you indicate your commitment to upholding our shared standards of respect, kindness, safety and collaboration so that both Students and our Studios derive the maximum benefits safely and, as always, most creatively… Thank you :)