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Pottery - Improvers

Funding area Creative Arts (Level 1)
MAI/145556/P/PF
Location:
Oakwood House, Maidstone
Start date:
13/01/2025
End date:
24/03/2025
Level:
Level 1
Time:
10:00 - 12:30
Duration:
10 sessions
Course hours:
Course hours

Course hours are the total number of hours you'll spend being taught by your tutor. Self study time is not included within the course hours.

25 hours
Day of week:
MON
Tutor:
Beth Blackburn
Price: £213.00 Concessions Only 2 places remaining
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Who can join this course

This is one of our Tailored learning Level 1 (Improvers) courses. This course is for learners who have not studied with us previously in the same subject area at Level 2 or above. It is also for learners who have completed their total of 120 guided learning hours at Entry level (Beginners) and wish to progress to the next level in the same subject area.
Eligible learners may enrol onto Level 1 courses in this subject area up to a maximum of 120 guided learning hours in total.
If you have already reached the maximum guided learning hours in this subject area and level, please speak to your tutor or another member of our team about your next progression steps.

This course is aimed at those who have completed a number of Beginners Pottery courses or have previous experience of Pottery courses. Those with no experience of Pottery should consider our range of Entry level (Beginners) courses.

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Is this course for me

Our Creative Intent
Creativity is an essential aspect of human expression and plays a crucial role in fostering well-being and a sense of purpose.
The ambition of the Kent Adult Education Creative curriculum is to engage the community through an energetic and diverse programme offer planned to meet the varied needs and interests of Kent’s communities, thereby ensuring high quality learning is delivered across the county in dedicated adult education centres, online and in neighbourhood settings.
Creative courses aim to build confidence through learning, allowing students to express themselves, think critically, and collaborate with their peers. By empowering our students to become confident, imaginative, and adaptable learners, we aim to develop students' curiosity, resilience, and adaptability, preparing them for future challenges, opportunities, and personal development.

Building on what you have learnt on our Beginners courses, you will be encouraged and supported in further developing your Pottery skills. This is a higher-level Pottery course that will guide you through making objects in clay developed from considered starting points with relevant demonstrations of throwing and handbuilding.
There will be an opportunity for you to achieve different decorative effects through personalised projects. You will learn the difference between Earthenware and Stoneware glazes and how to apply them.
You will be expected to do research towards your projects at home. This could be collecting images or drawing out your ideas ready for the following session.

Course aims

By the end of the course you should be able to:

* Select and explain your choice of tools and materials for your project
* Select and demonstrate at least five different tools and techniques for surface decoration
* Critically evaluate the different surface decoration techniques you have used
* Explain the health and safety considerations for all resources and tools used

What will I need for my course

Please bring a notepad and pen/pencil to your first lesson.
Unless otherwise stated, you will be advised in your first class what resources you will need. If you do have equipment appropriate to the subject, please bring them.

You will need to purchase all the clay you use from us as it is not costed into the course fees. Students are not permitted to bring their own clay into the studio.
A list of current clay prices is displayed in the studio, this cost is calculated from the unfired weight of your piece of work and includes an allowance for the cost of firing the piece. Once you have paid for each piece your work will be fired.

What can I do next

Your tutor will advise you on follow-on courses relevant to their subject.
You can attend further Improvers courses which will cover additional skills at an Improvers’ level and use those you have already learned in different ways to help perfect them or progress to Vocational or Accredited courses, where offered.

Non teaching dates

This course is scheduled to not be running on the following dates:

  • Monday, 17 February 2025

Additional Information

From 1st August 2024, the Department for Education (DfE) require that learners attending this course must identify their primary purpose for learning. This course is not available for learners whose main aim is to learn a hobby, or for leisure/pleasure.

To get the most out of your course we recommend you attend at least 85% of your sessions. If you do have a pre-arranged commitments booked during term time, please let the tutor know in advance so that we can help you catch up on missed sessions and ensure that you still achieve the course outcome.

For Health & Safety, please do not wear open toed shoes.

It is important to note that art and craft courses are practical and require a degree of manual dexterity. Also, please make your tutor aware of any pre-existing health conditions that may impact on your learning.
If you need to bring a carer with you, or another adult please speak to the Curriculum Leader for the course.

Getting to your course

Find us

Oakwood House
Oakwood Park
Maidstone
Kent
ME16 8AE

If you require any information about this location then please call 03000 41 22 22 and quote the Course Code MAI/145556/P/PF.