POLICIES

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Please read carefully before booking — whether for a once-off workshop, short course, or full-term class — as these terms apply to all studio programs.

 

 

1. Cancellations & Refunds

 

• If notice of cancellation is received more than 5 days before the workshop, class, or course, your fee will be refunded less a 10% cancellation fee.

 

• Refunds will not be issued for cancellations made less than 4 business days before the program begins, unless the space can be filled.

 

• No refund is issued if you cancel or do not show up on the start date.

 

• In the event of illness or emergency, you’re welcome to send someone in your place. Please email their name and contact details to info@clayhands.co.za before the session.

 

• Clay Hands reserves the right to cancel or reschedule a workshop, class, or course due to low enrolment or unforeseen circumstances. Should this happen, you’ll be notified by email or phone at least 4 business days in advance and receive a full refund.

 

 

2. Term Classes, Short Courses & Catch-Ups

 

Weekly classes and short courses require a weekly commitment for a number of consecutive weeks. Please check dates carefully before booking.

 

• Full-term students (10 classes per term) receive 2 guaranteed catch-up sessions per term, which must be used within the same term.

• Catch-ups are subject to space availability and cannot be credited, carried over, or exchanged.

• Intro courses and 5-week packages generally do not allow for catch-ups unless in exceptional circumstances.

 

Regular attendance keeps the studio rhythm strong and supports your teachers’ ability to guide your progress consistently.

 

 

3. Payment Options & Due Dates (Term Students)

 

Our weekly term classes run on a three-month cycle. Fees are calculated per term, not per class attended.

 

You may choose to pay:

 

• Upfront: one full payment for the term, or

• Monthly: three equal instalments, due on the 1st of each month.

 

If paying via EFT, your first payment is due within one week of booking to confirm your place.

Students joining mid-term will receive pro-rated fees for the remaining sessions.

 

 

4. Renewal & Cancellation of Ongoing Bookings​​
 

• Term fees are non-refundable.

• Non-attendance is not a form of cancellation, and fees remain payable once your term is booked.

• Your spot is reserved for the full term, allowing us to plan teaching time, firings, and materials fairly.

 

5. Non-Payment Policy

 

Late or missed payments affect the studio’s flow and may result in your spot being released to someone on the waiting list.

 

• Accounts more than 7 days overdue may incur a late fee or suspension of studio access.

• Continued non-payment may result in your account being referred for collection.

 

If you’re experiencing difficulty, please reach out early so we can find a workable solution together.

 

 

6. What Your Fees Cover

 

Your term fees include:

 

• Tuition and guidance from our teaching team

• Use of studio tools, equipment, and glazes

• Firing service for work created in class

• Tea, coffee, and oat milk

 

Each student receives 5 kg of house clay to begin. Additional clay can be purchased at student rates.

 

 

7. Missing, Misplaced & Damaged Work

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At Clay Hands, we understand that the journey from raw clay to finished piece involves many hands, stages, and waiting periods — and occasionally, things go astray. This policy outlines how we handle missing, misplaced, or damaged work, and what you can expect from us if something goes wrong.
 

Reporting
If you believe a piece is missing, please notify a member of the Clay Hands team within one month of the expected completion or collection date. We ask for this window so that we can begin investigating while the details are still fresh. Once a report is received, please allow us up to three months to resolve the matter — this gives time for pieces to surface naturally through the studio cycle (wrapped greenware, shelving rotations, and firing queues can all slow discovery).
 

Labelling Responsibility
Students are responsible for clearly labelling all work with their name before leaving it in the studio. While we do our best to reunite unlabelled pieces with their makers, we cannot guarantee this and our ability to investigate or offer a remedy is significantly reduced without identification.
 

How Work Goes Missing
Work can go astray in a number of ways — some more mysterious than others. Common causes include pieces still wrapped in plastic that haven't yet entered the firing queue, work collected by another student due to absent or unclear labelling, accidental damage that wasn't reported at the time, or, on rare occasion, pieces that simply cannot be accounted for. We approach each situation with care and without judgment.
 

What We Offer
Where Clay Hands is unable to locate or recover a piece within the resolution period, we will offer the following, based on the time invested in making:

Single-session pieces (up to 3 hours): a bag of TR5 house clay
Multi-session or extended pieces (4+ hours, or made across multiple classes): a complimentary catch-up class

Where the loss is clearly due to a studio error: a 7-hour drop-in punch card and a bag of clay, as a baseline — more significant situations will be handled individually and in conversation with you

We want to make things right where we can, and we appreciate your patience and understanding as we work through the process together.

 

Thank you for helping us keep the studio running smoothly.

For any questions, please reach out to info@clayhands.co.za — we’re always happy to chat.