We only launched our one-month intermediate course at the start of this year, but we’re already taking bookings through to the middle of next year.

Our intermediate students this year have come from the UK, Brazil and Germany – and students next year are coming from as far as Trinidad & Tobago and, for the first time, from the Republic of Azerbaijan.

It’s a great compliment to the Chippendale school that students are prepared to travel such long distances to be with us.

We only accept two students on our intermediate courses at any one time, meaning that one-to-one tuition is maximised.

It makes for an intense and thoroughly enjoyable month, with our keen hobbyist students taking their skill levels up several notches.

We also decided during the year to be as flexible as possible with the intermediate course, recognising that for many people a month is a long time to take off work.

We therefore allow students to complete the course in smaller chunks, with start and finishing dates entirely at the discretion of each student – subject, of course, to demand.

The principal tutor on the course is Alan McGovern, who has over 30 years of woodworking experience, and who excels at making sure that by the end of the course each student creates a fantastic heirloom piece of furniture.

However, if your time is limited and you only want to learn some of the basics of woodworking, do consider one of our one-week introductory courses which have a maximum of only ten students.

Because of the rising popularity of our introductory courses, the December course is now full, but places remain on our 2019 courses, the first being 18th to 22nd March.

Our introductory course can either be a first taste of woodworking, or a first step into professional furniture design and making.

Several students on our professional course this year caught the woodworking bug on one of our introductory courses – and if you do enroll on a professional course, the introductory fees are deducted.

But the intermediate course is also an attractive option for hobbyists who are unsure about a woodworking career.

This year on our professional course we have two former intermediate course students – Fiona Gilfillan and Eion Gibbs.

Picture: Eion (left) is pictured with Alan McGovern