Community Clay Studio Manchester CIC
WHERE
Manchester
What it’s like
Family ceramics sessions where kids get hands on with a pottery wheel or hand-building clay, in a proper working studio in Stretford.
This is a working clay studio that runs Family Ceramics sessions alongside its adult classes, so the wheel and the hand-building tables are the real thing, not a scaled-down soft-play version of pottery. Kids get to throw on the wheel or build by hand, and there are home education classes too if you're after something during term time on a weekday.
Don't expect to walk out with your pot the same day. The site is upfront that finished pieces need firing and take one to two weeks to collect after the last session of a class, which is a fair wait when you've got a six-year-old asking about it every morning. Collection is Monday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm, so that bit at least is flexible.
Opening hours run 9:30am to 6:30pm most days, with Monday and Thursday stretching to 9:30pm if you want an evening slot without the kids. There's a shop on site too, open Wednesday to Saturday and shorter hours on a Sunday, worth a look if you fancy taking something finished home rather than waiting on the kiln.
It's five minutes from Stretford tram stop and there's a multi-storey nearby that's free for the first three hours, which should cover most sessions before you start paying. The studio's wheelchair accessible and there's bike parking if you're cycling over.
Facilities
Need to know
- Parking
- Stretford Mall Multi-storey car park and near Aldi, free for 3 hours then charged
- Getting there by bus or train
- 5 minutes from Stretford tram stop, lots of bus routes, great cycle lanes and routes
- Monday and Thursday sessions run late, until 9:30pm, if you fancy an evening slot
- The studio is wheelchair accessible with bike parking on site
- Closed over Christmas, New Year and other public holidays
- The shop keeps different hours to the studio itself, Wednesday to Sunday only
Plan your visit
Do kids need any experience with pottery first?
One-off and private sessions are aimed at beginners, so no experience needed. Weekly throwing classes do ask for a beginners session first before joining.
How long until we can collect the finished pot?
One to two weeks after the last session of a class. Worth warning the kids in advance so there's no daily nagging.
What if we miss a session?
Weekly classes allow two session exchanges if you let them know before the first class starts. Miss the first week itself and that one can't be swapped.
Can we get a refund if plans change?
Refunds or rescheduling are available if you give 7 days notice before the class date or the first session of a course.
Is there parking nearby?
The Stretford Mall multi-storey and the car park near Aldi are both close by, free for the first three hours then charged.
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