Not at all! Most of our classes and courses are beginner-friendly. No prior experience with clay is needed—we’ll guide you every step of the way.

A course runs weekly over a set number of weeks (4 or 6) and allows you to develop your skills in more depth.

One-off classes are shorter, relaxed sessions perfect for trying pottery for the first time or simply having fun.

Ceramics can be unpredictable, and occasionally a piece may crack, break, or fail during drying or firing—especially for beginners. While we take great care in handling and firing your work, New Dawn Pottery cannot guarantee the survival of every piece.

If your work is damaged during the firing process due to a studio issue, we’ll offer you a pre-made compensation pot of similar size as a goodwill gesture. These are handmade by our team and available for collection if needed.

All bookings must be made through our website only. We do not take bookings in person or over the phone. Simply choose your class, select a date, and book securely online.

• Cancellations with 14 days’ notice or more: Refund available minus a £10 admin fee.

• Cancellations with 7–13 days’ notice: Not refundable, but we may offer rescheduling at our discretion.

• Less than 7 days’ notice or no-shows: Non-refundable and non-transferable.

Please see our full [Terms & Conditions] for more details.

Yes! In all classes and courses, you’ll finish with at least one glazed piece to keep.

In the 6-week throwing course, you’ll keep up to 10 finished pots. In shorter courses or one-off classes, this number may vary depending on the session .

At this time, we do not offer kiln hire to the public. All firing is currently reserved for in-house use by students, open studio users, and members.

If you’re looking to fire your work, you’re welcome to join one of our classes or open studio sessions, where firings are included within fair usage limits.

We use stoneware clay, which is strong, durable, and food-safe.

After your session, your piece goes through the following stages:

1. Drying

2. Bisque firing (around 1000°C)

3. Glazing – with a coloured glaze of your choice

4. Glaze firing (around 1240°C)

The full process takes about 3–4 weeks, after which you’ll receive a text message letting you know your pottery is ready to collect.

You’ll receive a text message within 4 weeks of your class when your pottery is ready.

Collection times are:

• Mondays: 1:30 – 5:30 PM

• Fridays: 1:30 – 6:30 PM

Once notified, please collect your pots within 6 weeks. After this time, unclaimed pieces may be discarded due to limited space.

Unfortunately, we do not offer delivery or postage of finished work. All pieces must be collected in person during our scheduled collection times.

Yes! If you’re confident working with clay, you can book our Open Studio sessions (available Mondays and Fridays). These are untaught sessions for experienced hobby potters who can work safely on their own.

• £20 for 2 hours

• £30 for 3 hours

All tools, glazes, and firings included (within fair usage limits).

No. Our studio is an adult-only space. We do not currently allow anyone under 18 in classes or during collection times due to safety and equipment use.

There is limited street parking nearby, but we recommend using public transport, walking, or cycling where possible. The studio is just outside Ancoats, close to New Islington tram stop.

Yes! You can purchase digital gift cards on our website. They can be used toward any class or course and are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase.