Gradings & Belts

Click here to see a full list of all Little Dragon and Karate Kids belts.

What is a Grading?
A Grading is when a student is ‘tested’ to see if they are now too good to wear their existing belt. If it is felt that their skill level is now high enough, they will be awarded the next belt up

When do Team Black Belt have Gradings, and what happens at them?
We Grade students within their class time, streamed live in our Facebook Group for families to watch (as we don’t have enough room for more than the usual number of spectators).

Lower School students (Little Dragons, KK1, KK2 & KK3) will grade 3 times per year. This is currently happening just before school half terms.
Higher Grade students (KK4, Seniors & Adults) grade around 2 times per year, depending on whether they are individually ready to grade.

At a Grading, students work as they would normally do in a class, whilst they are being watched and marked. Sensei Mike is qualified to Grade anyone up to Black Belt, but traditionally we always invite other instructors to come along, in order to make the occasion more special for the students.

Do I have to Grade?
As part of the conditions of being a Team Black Belt member, ALL Team Black Belt students are expected to attend their Gradings. Sensei Mike teaches by belt within each class, and if your child is wearing a belt that they should have moved on from, they will be taught work they have previously learned, which is a waste of your money and will result in a de-motivated student.

Have we been here long enough to Grade?
New students in the lower school (so children under 12), will join in with the first grading that happens once they’ve joined, unless we let them know otherwise. The very early belts are an acknowledgement of effort that a student has made to join in the class, try their best and begin their karate learning. Our Mission at Team Black Belt is to boost a child’s confidence, by showing them that effort equals achievement!

Does anyone fail their Grading Test?
Yes, and No.
In the younger children, we are looking to increase their confidence, and motivate them to keep trying to learn and work hard. We are not looking for technical ability beyond their age capability, so if they have put the effort in and have had good attendance, then that’s all we are looking for.
As students progress and mature, if we think that they are not of a suitable ability level to grade to their next belt, we won’t let them take the Grading test. Humiliating a student by them being the only person in the room not to receive a new belt is not appropriate, or conducive to motivation and future learning!

How will I know what to do about Gradings?
In the few weeks before the Grading, we will send you an email reminding you what you need to do, but basically you will just need to hand in your Grading Record book (the little red book), with a grading slip (from the basket on reception that will appear) and your grading fee, at your lesson within the 2 weeks just before the Grading.
On Grading day your child will be awarded their new belt, and the Grading Record book will then be signed off and returned, with a certificate, during class, in one of the weeks following the Grading.

I’ve lost my Grading Record book…. Help!
Replacement books can be bought from the office/ordered via our shop. If you make a note of any previous gradings (using your certificates), giving us the date of the grading for each belt, Sensei will backdate and sign off the previous grades.

How do I find out which belt my child will take next?
Click here to see a full list of all Little Dragon and Karate Kids belts.
Adult belts follow the same colour pattern as the Karate Kids belts, but there is no ‘stripe’ belts in between each colour

When you get a new belt you may find it helpful to soak it to soften it (which will help keep it tied during lesson). If you decide to do so, we recommend you use COLD SALTY water, (then a rinse through with cold, non-salty water), in order to discourage the dye from the belt running when worn.