FAQs

What is your cancellation policy?

We try our very best never to cancel a class, but sometimes it is not in our control due to tutor illness or insufficient student bookings.

If we have to make the difficult decision to cancel a class due to insufficient bookings or tutor illness, we will contact you within 24 hours of your scheduled class to inform you. We will offer you a range of alternative dates for the session to run and for you to attend or the option to switch to any other course of your choice.

This is a very rare occurrence and we will work hard to make sure we find an alternative that suits your schedule. If we can not find a date which suits your schedule, you will be offered a refund minus card fees. We are flexible and work hard to find you alternatives should this ever occur. We are not responsible for any accommodation or travel fees. 

If you decide to cancel your booked course we are unable to refund you. Please check your dates thoroughly before booking. If you can’t attend you are welcome to transfer your space to a friend or family member if they would like to take your space.

We can list the space on the website and if another student books your space, we can transfer you to an alternative course, however it is not our responsibility to find a replacement for your booking. 

What is supplied during the classes?

All tools required for you session are available at the venue. Your consumables such as solder, flux, and saw blades etc are also included in the cost of the course unless otherwise stated within the course description. 

Most courses (particularly the term time classes and weekend flexible day workshops) DO NOT include materials as clearly stated in the class description.

If materials are included, this will be clearly stated within the course description. Should a student have additional projects in mind that is not covered by their chosen course and the tutor agrees that there is time for the additional project to be tackled, the materials required for this additional piece will need to be purchased by the student prior to the class date.

We have a small amount of materials available to purchase at the workshop but it is best to discuss your requirements with your tutor before the date of your course so we can make sure you are prepared and can get the most out of your day. It also helps us plan ahead if you have specific ideas in mind.

For set classes which follow a particular technique, we advise you stick to the set project outlined by the tutor. If you have a specific design you wish to create, it is best to book a flexible workshop session where you are able to create a specific design, and there is more flexibility to do so, this is where term time classes are more ideal for this style of learning.

What do I need to do before I start my course?

We have put together a series of Pinterest boards to help inspire you before you visit the workshop. Click here to see our Workshop 925 profile.

For our term time classes and flexible weekend workshop sessions we will contact you in good time to discuss the project you have in mind for your time with us, so we can plan what materials you will need to purchase for your designs. We will provide you with a material list for you to purchase in time for your session. You will be assisted at every step of the way and we work hard to support you through every step of the process. 

For courses which include materials, generally you will follow a set project to teach you a specific technique rather than it being a course where you design and make your own pieces. However, jewellery is personal and you will all have different tastes, so if you are booking onto a workshop such as silver ring making, bangle making, spoon making, if you have a set idea, please don’t hesitate to let us know, it is important to us you get the most from your day and leave with something you will treasure and your ideas might be easy to accommodate.  

Is there parking at The Mayford Centre?

There is free parking at The Mayford Centre. Most of the time you can park directly outside the workshop unit which is based within the Furnace Building at the Mayford Centre.

Occasionally there are busier times where parking can become a little more difficult, however you should still be able to find parking along side the football fields near the Furnace building or within the larger main car park. 

Where is the workshop located?

The Mayford Centre is situated off the B380 Smarts Heath Road. Our sat nav postcode is GU22 0PP.

The first time you visit The Mayford Centre, it can be difficult to find your way to the workshop itself.

Click here to see our contact page where we have put together some instructions and maps to help you find your way. 

Are there shops nearby for lunch?

There aren’t many shops in close proximity to the workshop. We suggest bringing your own packed lunch for day workshops so you do not loose any valuable workshop time travelling into Woking for supplies. 

We have a microwave, fridge and kettle in the workshop. We will provide tea, coffee and water throughout your session and biscuits. 

Can I reserve a space on a weekend workshop and pay later?

Unfortunately we have been let down many times with this arrangement and can no longer reserve spaces for students on weekend courses. Spaces must be booked and fully paid for in order to secure a space.

What should I bring to the session?

You don’t need to bring anything with you. We do suggest wearing older clothes as some of the work you will doing can be dusty and messy.

We have aprons which you can wear to protect your clothes. You will also need to wear close toe shoes to prevent any injuries in the workshop as you will be using heavy tools and could working with hot materials or chemicals, depending on your chosen course. 

If you are attending a day workshop, bring along some lunch.

If you struggle with eye sight, bring along any glasses which help with close up work. We do have reading glasses and each bench has its own magnifying lamp to help magnify your work if you struggle. 

You may also wish to bring a note pad, there will be handouts for some classes, but often, students like to make additional notes as tutors provide lots of helpful tips and tricks during their courses, which you may wish to note down. 

When should I arrive for my course?

Please arrive in good time for your course so you do not miss any vital information. Aim to arrive 5 – 10 minutes before your session so you can find the workshop, park and settle in before we start. All course start and finish times are advertised on your course booking confirmation. 

For longer sessions of more than 4 hours, we will schedule in an informal break time to either allow for lunch or for a break in the session to refresh. 

Please do not arrive any earlier than 10 minutes before the start of your course as your tutor will be busy preparing for the session and will not be able to let you in. 

Can I book a private course or for a group of friends?

Absolutely! We run private sessions for groups of friends and family frequently. We will require your available dates where all members of your group can attend so we can compare them against our Workshop calendar. We can then plan what you would like to do on the day.

You do not have to book a full day session, we will discuss options and prices with each individual group so we can tailor the day for your needs. Private sessions can be run during weekends or weekdays depending on what other classes have been booked in at the workshop. 

We have frequent availability for Friday evenings from 6pm .

Is there disabled access to the workshop?

We are situated on the ground floor and right by the entrance to the furnace building which makes access to our workshop easy for all. We have a lovely open workshop space which welcomes and accommodates all students. 

However the toilet facilities within the Furnace building are limited for disabled use unfortunately. If you have a carer to assist you, they are very welcome to join you during your session. 

If you have any special needs or concerns, please get in touch and we will be more than happy to help and discuss any worries you may have. 

Will I be able to take my work home with me?

All designs you create using your purchased or allocated materials are yours to treasure forever. You should complete your projects by the end of your session or term and you will be able to take all your pieces with you.

There might be the odd occasion where your work needs drying time, polishing time, or kiln time in order to be completed. If this is the case, we will advise you and we can either post your pieces to you, or you are welcome to collect them from the workshop. Postage costs will be built into courses where we will need to post items to you to allow for certain processes to be completed. We will post all items as soon as possible, and you will be notified that they are on their way to you. 

If you are a term time student and continuing onto another term, you can roll projects over into the new term if you have something more technical you wish to tackle which will take longer than the allocated time. This is also the case for weekend workshops, you are more than welcome to return and finish off projects which require more than one session. 

I want to complete more than one term, is my weekly place at risk of being booked up by another student when the next term goes on sale?

If you are booked into complete a jewellery evening or day class with us, your place will be offered to you on a first refusal basis for the following term so you can continue for as long as you wish to stay with us.

2 weeks before the end of your term we will ask each of our students if they wish to continue onto the next term. If you decide you do not wish to continue, your place will then be placed onto the website for other students to book. If you wish to stay, you will keep your place and can return next term. 

I want to sign up for a term time class, but I can’t attend every session, will I miss out?

Our term time classes run for 6/7 weeks, we follow the school holidays and break for half terms. We do not break for bank holidays. We also stop running our regular term time classes over the summer holiday following the school holiday period. 

Should you miss any sessions due to a booked holiday, illness or childcare issues you can book one catch up class per term. We will allow you to make up one missed class per term where you are able to book onto one of the other sessions to make up the lost time. We can’t offer more than one catch up space due to the huge admin demands to arrange catch ups for so many students. 

Catch ups can not be carried over to the following term. 

I would like to join a term time class but they are always sold out on the website. How do I secure a space?

Term time classes are very popular and many students continue to renew their space each term on a first refusal basis. We have a waiting list for students eager to join term time classes. As soon as one of our regular students decides to give up their term time space, this space will be offered to those on the waiting list. Those who have been on the waiting list the longest, will be offered spaces first.

To join the waiting list please email hello@workshop925.com

How many students are in each class?

We have 9 professional jewellers workbenches so can accommodate 9 students for private bookings. Our term time classes run with 6 students, with an occasional additional student who may join to make up a missed session. 

All courses listed on the website will advise of student numbers per class. It is important to us that each student get easy access to the tools and plenty of tutor assistance, therefore we maintain small class sizes to achieve this.

If you have any questions regarding your class booking, please email us at hello@workshop925.com