I'm on a great / cheap furniture upholstery course and there are 4 places free

[Boots]

This is my second term of an upholstery course at Thomas Carlton Centre in Peckham run by a lady called Jan Dodd - an experienced upholsterer and patient teacher. I am a student on her course (no vested interest).

The Monday eve and Tuesday morning sessions of this course are full, so I went today for the Tuesday afternoon session (1-3.30pm). There are only 4 of us on the course which is incredible... these courses cost around ?3,000 normally, and this one is ?97 for the whole term (10 sessions of 3.5 hours). I'm giving it a genuine thumbs up and would encourage anyone with an interest in furniture to come and join the class.

You can be a total beginner or a experienced hand, Jan's teaching is individual, and you'll certainly come away with one or two upholstery projects, and the skills to complete more on your own if you have the interest. Next class is next Tuesday 2nd Oct at 1pm.

Call The Thomas Carlton Centre on 0207 358 2100.

[fay_bee]

Thanks for posting this! I am going to enrol tomorrow :) cya there

[Boots]

Fab news, you'll love it.

[dulwichgirl2]

Thank you so much for posting this. I would have loved it but can only do evenings.May I ask you how you found out about it? A quick look on Southwark's website yielded nothing. Many thanks and enjoy it!

[Boots]

Hi there

My neighbour has done this course several times, and introduced me. You can read the syllabus on here - http://www.southwark.gov.uk/downloads/download/2481/southwark_council_adult_learning_service

Definitely worth looking into for next term. All the best

[dulwichgirl2]

Thank you do much - lots of interesting stuff here and good value for money.

[lizbells6]

I went to Jan's classes for about 18 months 2 or3 years ago. She's a brilliant teacher and I'm surprised there are places on her courses - there were always queues at enrolment for them and it was a worry whether you'd get a place, especially if you were in the middle of a project. (you could only enrol for a term at a time and Southwark introduced priority enrolment for new students.)

There are good woodworking classes at the centre too, by the way.

[Boots]

Just a final post to encourage anyone interested in upholstery to come down for a 1pm start tomorrow (Tuesday 2nd), it's only ?97 for the whole term (9 weeks).

[zeban]

There's places on the course because repeat learners at the centre now have to pay an absurd amount of money- sometimes double what the course would cost a new learner. This even applies to those who would have got a concessionary rate for their first course there, and therefore would have to pay 3 times the amount a new learner would have to pay to do a second course. This is quite a new rule brought in two years ago which makes it impossible for those who don't have much money to do more than one course at the centre. I did an art course here and would have loved to do more but alas found I couldn't afford to do any more. It's abominable really as the centre was supposed to cater for all of the local community and has meant that courses have had to close because they can't get enough people onto them or you have ones running with lots of places free, many which could be utilised but aren't because many people can't afford them.

[Boots]

Hi Zeban

I'm afraid in this instance you're wrong. Let me explain..

We are at the start of a new academic year, and as such everyone, including repeat learners, are considered "new" students and so the maximum anyone has to pay for this course/term is ?97 I quoted. In addition I believe there may be other concessions available for people on benefits.

All the best

[zeban]

Ah, so you can do one course an academic year as a 'new learner'? I still don't think that's great but good to know thank you.

[sophiesofa]

I did a pattern cutting course there last year. All the courses are extremeley good value; it must cost a forutne to keep the centre going.

[Huggers]

aaagh! just seen this, do you think it' s too late in the term to join now?

[Boots]

Hi Huggers

I dont imagine it's too late, but I guess you've missed two weeks of the course, and I don't know if they pro-rata the fees. Best to call the centre I think. All the best. You'll want to bring down a drop in seat/chair if you do join next week.

[Huguenot]

If it's only ?97 for the course it's clear that the taxpayer is fronting up for your education Zeban, so getting snotty about it in public is demonstrably biting the hand that feeds you.

Sometimes the sense of entitlement in society leaves me genuinely shocked.

If you're going to multiple courses in one year you clearly have no intent to use this education for anything worthwhile - it's merely entertainment. So being irritated that other people won't pony up for you is really rude.

[Ridgley]

Great I would like to find out if they do a felt millinery hat courses?

[zeban]

What are you on about Huguenot??? it's not ?97 for a repeat learner whose already done a course at the centre, I don't know the exact amount but it will be around 300 quid or more which is ALOT of money for those that don't have it and it applies even if you were a concession before and therefore on low wages or on disability allowance etc therefore those people wouldn't be able to afford any more courses.

At the end of the day it's a community adult learning centre in Peckham that is run by Southwark with the intention of offering affordable courses for people who live in the local community, MANY of whom don't earn much money. The courses they run are all SHORT courses (around 20 hours) that don't 'qualify' you for anything, they are therefore intended for you to just enjoy them and learn which is a good thing and IS worthwhile!!! They are not intended to make you the next Michaelangelo (I did an art course there), they don't have particularly state of the art facilities or contacts in 'industries'. If you are serious about going into one of the areas the centre is offering a course in you would only get the basics there as that isn't the intention of the courses. They are merely there for you to learn a new skill and therefore expand your mind. Some may even allow people in difficult circumstances to be able to get some kind of enjoyment from life such as those with disabilities. Maybe you don't think adults who don't earn much should get the chance to do courses they'ld never be able to afford to at private colleges and be able to enjoy themselves and just learn for the sake of learning the same as someone who earns a lot and could very well pay for a private college to do just that. Are we only allowed bread and water and the bus to work?

Also, just so you know, there was huge outrage at this change by students and teachers alike and there was a campaign by many many people to get Southwark to back down on this so don't go on like this is some kind of entitlement attitude on my behalf. If you don't know anything about something then don't frigging post H, you may think you know it all but you don't!

An email I received from Southwark save adult learning:

Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:58:09 +0100

Subject: your experience of closures and fees at Thomas Calton

From: [email protected]

The section we are providing on evidence is anecdotal but very important. Below is the section as we have it at the moment. Please write your experience and email it back so it can be included. No opinions are necessary - just the bare facts on your ability to access southwark adult learning since the fee changes. ie eithe rnot being able to afford it, or finding courses closing because of lack of numbers.

OUR EVIDENCE

We do not have access to the full figures on learner numbers and course closures but we have anecdotal evidence.

In January 2012 learner numbers in arts and crafts were down approximately 300%. One art class tutor who normally teaches two classes lost a whole class as only two learners had registered for that course. That tutor?s other class had 4 learners and was told to close at half term, but two other learners joined, so it finished the term.

One disabled student has been unable to afford the high-prices and cannot return to her ceramics class. As her mobility is affected by her disability, she has been unable to sustain attendance at a course she registered on at City Lit.

[david_carnell]

Zeban - whilst I'm sympathetic to arguments surrounding cuts to local authority services, you are, quite simply, talking nonsense.

I've done the woodwork course over two terms. First term was ?97.50. Second term as a repeat learner was ?137.50. That's only ?40 more. And one of the reasons they do this is to encourage people who have never done courses before to try one. And you start all over again each new academic year.

Your upholstery course is exactly the same. As is the ceramics. Talking about fees in excess of ?300 is utter piffle.

http://www.southwark.gov.uk/download/7500/autumn_2012_course_guide

I would however encourage people to take advantage of the woodwork course. It was fun and informative and after two terms I'd gone from not knowing one end of a nail from another to having built a beautiful dining table.

[Greenbeanie]

I know this thread is a little old but I've been trying to contact Southwark about their courses starting in January with no luck. The page appears to be down on the website and I can't get a reply via telephone.

Has anyone else been looking recently - or is it just that all courses are fully booked?

Thanks for any info.

[Boots]

Hi there.

It's probably just because term hasn't started yet. I imagine its next Monday, so worth calling then. The Tuesday 1-3:30 session generally has spaces left.

Good luck, hope to see you there as I'm signed up for another term.

Boots

[Greenbeanie]

Ah will try again on Monday! Thanks for the info.

[Victoriacarmody]

Do you know if the ceramics evening course is starting this Monday or next? Thanks for your help

[Boots]

I don't know I'm afraid, sorry.

Again worth calling Monday I should say.

All the best.