Learn Woodturning in Hampshire
Small classes. Professional Tuition. Your hands on the lathe.
Where the craft meets the maker
The Woodturning School is a purpose-built workshop in Hampshire where we teach the skills that actually matter: tool control, form, finishing, and the satisfaction of watching a shape emerge from a spinning blank. Whether you're discovering the lathe for the first time or returning to refine your craft, you'll find a space designed for learning by doing.
Classes are small. Typically five students. This matters because turning is learned through feel and through practice. It requires attention, and attention requires space. You won't be lost in a crowd here. You'll get genuine guidance, real feedback, and the time to develop your own understanding of how wood behaves under the tool.
Everything you need is here: lathes, tools, timber, PPE, and lunch on full-day classes. You arrive with curiosity and leave with something you made.
Why Learn With Us?
Registered Professional Turners. Both Martin and Les are on the Register of Professional Turners. It's a mark of competence and commitment to the craft. You're learning from people who do this for a living, not hobbyists who teach on the side.
Accredited Provider of Training Excellence. The Woodturning School has been independently assessed and accredited by the Professional Development Consortium. It means our teaching methods, course structure, and learning outcomes meet nationally recognised standards. Not just good turners — verified good teachers.
Small class sizes. Maximum five students on most classes. You get genuine attention when you need it, not a production line of students waiting their turn.
Everything included. Timber, tools, consumables, safety equipment, lunch on full-day courses. Just bring yourself and comfortable clothes you don't mind getting dusty.
Professional equipment. Axminster lathes, tools from Crown, Henry Taylor, and Robert Sorby. A camera above the demonstration lathe so you can see exactly what's happening. Proper dust extraction. A wood burner for the colder months.
Refresher videos. Two Day Beginners students get over an hour of video content to watch at home when the details get fuzzy. Nobody else offers this.
Find your starting point
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![Lady turning a pen on a lathe]()
Beginners
Single or two-day sessions in general woodturning, or pen making. A focused introduction to see if turning is for you. No experience needed. We'll show you everything from how to stand at the lathe to how to finish a piece you're proud of
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![Two men wearing protective helmets and glasses, working together on a woodworking project in a workshop. One man is guiding the other's hands on a lathe machine.]()
Intermediate+
Boxes, hollow forms, the skew chisel, decorative techniques. Project-led classes that build on what you already know. Each class focuses on a specific skill or project, giving you dedicated time to develop that area of your turning.
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![Four metal chisels with different blade shapes and sizes standing upright on a surface.]()
Sunday Sessions
Independent workshop time for turners to bring their own projects, practise forms until they click, or work through something tricky with a second pair of eyes available. Maximum four turners, six hours at the lathe.
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![A man working in a woodworking shop, using a lathe to shape a piece of wood, with woodworking tools and equipment in the background.]()
e-Learning
A growing collection of lessons and learning opportunities to watch at home.
Step-by-Step Classes and one-off video lessons (coming in 2026). One off, or monthly memberships will be available, too.
What To Expect at The Woodturning School
If you have queries, please check the FAQs
Featured Classes
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Emma Cook in June
Emma is returning to The Woodturning School to host two one-day classes: her signature Carved Bowl and a Faux Hollow Form. Emma brings genuine passion, infectious energy, and creative approaches that open up new possibilities. Her classes are always popular. The Faux Hollow Form is already sold out.
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Colwin Way - viking Sunset Bowl
We're over the moon to welcome Colwin back to present Nick Agar's iconic Viking Sunset Bowl. This two-day class covers turning, texturing, airbrushing, and gilding. Colwin learned these techniques directly from Nick, and teaches with the blessing of Nick's family. June is booked up. October dates available from 30th January.
The Perfect Gift
A woodturning experience makes a memorable gift. It's not another object to sit on a shelf. It's a day of learning something new, working with your hands, and taking home something you made yourself. Gift vouchers are available for any of our classes, valid for 12 months.
If you're buying for someone who's never tried turning, the Woodturning Experience Day is the natural starting point. If they've already caught the bug, ask them what they'd like to learn next.
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