MARCH FastFire WoodFiring Course 2026

Service Description

Our Fastfire Kilns Course offers the perfect introduction to wood-firing ceramics, giving you hands-on experience with wood management and the process of loading and firing wood kilns here at Oxford. We encourage you to bring bisque-fired stoneware pots to test your glaze recipes and see the unique effects wood-firing can create on your own work. Throughout the course, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to deepen your understanding of wood-firing techniques, gain insights from our experienced tutors, and share knowledge with fellow participants. These courses are also a great way to get to know our facilities and connect with the wider wood-firing community. Our site is home to a variety of wood-fired kilns, which we use for both firing courses and private hire by experienced firing teams. If you’re interested in building your own kiln, we also run specialised kiln-building courses. For accommodation, we offer free on-site camping with access to hot showers and a field kitchen. If camping isn’t your preference, you’ll find plenty of nearby Airbnbs to choose from. For those booking early, we also have limited accommodation available at our field study centre in the woods. Communal cooking and dining are a cherished part of the firing experience, and we’ll organise these closer to the course date to ensure everyone feels part of the community. There isn't a shop within walking distance so you will need to plan for this. Day 1 - Kiln load and wood prep Day 2 - Firing Day 3 - Kiln unloading and tidy up We run these courses throughout the year. Frequently asked questions: How many pots should I bring? Please do bring 8-12 smallish pieces to put in the kilns – they need to be high-firing stoneware. It is better to bring too many rather than too few as this gives more possibilities for the kiln pack. We might not be able to fit in everything but we will certainly fit in what we can. What clay shouId I use and what about glazes? You need to use a high firing stoneware clay - the kilns go above 1300. Svend Bayer clay, Reduction St Thomas & Scarva ES80 are all good but do try other appropriate clays too. We would also encourage you to bring your own glazes to try too. Remember these need to be high firing as well.