The Potter’s Beginnings 2026
Clay. Form. Technique. Colour. Beauty. Utility.
A series of workshops across the year for beginner potters to work towards consistency and proficiency.
COURSE OVERVIEW
Spring Term 2026
Thursday 12 February 2026: 6-8.30pm
Thursday 19 February 2026: 10-4pm
Thursday 5 March 2026: 6-8.30pm
Thursday 19 March 2026: 10-4pm
Thursday 2 April 2026: 6-8.30pm
Clay. Form. Technique. Colour. Beauty. Utility.
The Potter’s Beginnings strives to nurture a small group of beginner potters to learn how to throw within the ethos established by Bernard Leach. In addition, potters will encounter broader skills such as basic glaze application and surface decoration.
For details of the year long course we offer for intermediate throwers (with more contact time) please see here.
Who is the Potter’s Beginnings for?
The Leach Pottery has been a place for potters to learn over the last 100 years. Founded by Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada, the pottery has hosted potters ranging from Michael Cardew and William Marshall to Warren MacKenzie and Katherine Pleydell-Bouverie. Informed by the founding principles of the Leach Pottery, the potters forged their practices, styles and approaches all rooted in sound technique, form and sensitivity to utility and beauty.
For details of the year-long course we offer for intermediate throwers (with more contact time) please see here. Link to page
Who is the Potter’s Beginnings for?
The Potter’s Beginnings is the ideal experience for makers who have the desire to commit time to learning how to throw. They may have had a little bit of experience, or none. Potters may have access regularly to a wheel or kiln outside of this course but this isn’t a requirement and all work can take place in the Leach Pottery Learning studios. Due to the regularity of the workshops, it is likely that the participants will live within short traveling distance from the pottery (we will give priority to applicants from within a 1 hour drive of the Leach Pottery). The Potter’s Beginnings is taught to one group of 5 participants. The course is taught by a small handful of tutors to allow for diversity of skills taught yet consistency of approach.
The Potter’s Beginnings offers the opportunity for potters to:
· Achieve consistency of thrown repeat forms through undertaking production pottery workshops and thrown form challenges both on the electric and kick wheels.
· Consolidate thrown technique, throwing with economy and letting the clay lead.
· Gather confidence in ability, making pots guided by a sense of utility and beauty.
· Introductory understanding of making glazes and glaze application.
This term participants will encounter:
· Clay preparation: wedging techniques, centering clay on the wheel and throwing basic cylinders
· Wider contextual awareness
· Different forms: bowls, mugs etc.
practicing preferred form, turning and finishing, pulling and attaching handles.
· Participants can submit 4 pieces for gas firing at the Leach Pottery.
Summer Term 2026
Thursday 23 April 2026: 10-4pm
Thursday 7 May 2026: 6-8.30pm
Thursday 21 May 2026: 10-4pm
Thursday 4 June 2026: 6-8.30pm
Thursday 18 June 2026: 10-4pm
Thursday 2 July 2026: 6-8.30pm
Thursday 23 July 2026: 10-4pm
This term participants will:
continue to develop their throwing skills through the introduction of throwing to specific measurements and repeat throwing.
Prepare a small collection of pots (up to 6 each) to be pit fired as a team. The date of this particular activity will be confirmed at the end of the Spring term and take place on one of the full Thursday workshops currently listed. This aspect of the course will take place in Gweek, close to Falmouth.
Participants can submit 4 pieces for gas firing at the Leach Pottery.
Autumn Term 2026
Thursday 3 September 2026: 6-8.30pm
Thursday 17 September 2026: 10-4pm
Thursday 1 October 2026: 6-8.30pm
Thursday 15 October 2026: 10-4pm
Thursday 5 November 2026: 6-8.30pm
Thursday 19 November 2026: 10-4pm
Thursday 3 December 2026: 6-8.30pm
Thursday 10 December 2026: 10-4pm
Participants will:
· continue to consolidate their throwing skills through the introduction of form-led focuses; jugs and bottles.
· be introduced to surface decoration including faceting, slip decoration and simple modification of thrown forms.
· Basic glaze application and an introduction to glaze making for electric firing
Participants can submit 8 pieces for firing at the Leach Pottery (4 electric and 4 gas).
TOTAL FIRING SUBMISSIONS
Electric 4
Gas 12
Wood (pit firing) 6
Course fee: £2,400
A percentage of the course fee (£900) is paid up front. This is fully refundable until confirmation of course attendance is received. On receipt of this payment the Leach Pottery will arrange a phone call with you to make sure you are suitable for the course. This is not an interview, just an opportunity to talk through your expectations of the course to ensure the course is the right fit for you and your current skill level.
The remaining cost of the course can be paid either in one payment or spread across 2 additional payments. The full payment must be received by Monday 2 March 2026.
In the event of failure to make this payment in full we will then contact a waiting list and the deposit will not be refunded.
Please contact adult.programme @leachpottery.com should you wish to find out more.