Exciting News – We Are Getting Ready for Grading!

We are thrilled to announce that grading time is here at St Helens Martial Arts! Our students have been working incredibly hard in their classes, covering a great deal of content, and we feel that now is the right time to reward their dedication and progress.

Is Your Child Ready to Grade?

If your child has been attending classes for over eight weeks, they may be eligible for grading. However, their instructor will make the final decision based on their readiness—we want every student to feel confident and prepared rather than discouraged if they aren’t quite ready yet.

Individual Grading Invitations

We will be sending personal invitations to students who are ready to take part in the grading process. These will include the exact date and time of their grading session. Keep an eye on your emails over the coming weeks!

Important Information on Grading Levels

Please note that we will not be grading above Blue Belt this time around, as we feel those students need more time to develop their skills. We will revisit these levels in our Spring grading sessions.

Grading Dates to Pencil in Your Diary

(Please note that dates and times are subject to change, though we will do our best to avoid this.)

• White Belt → Red/Yellow Belt – 19th October (PM Session)

• Red Belt → Yellow Belt – 16th November (PM Session)

• Yellow Belt → Orange Belt – 16th November (PM Session)

• Orange Belt → Green Belt – 17th November (AM Session)

• Green Belt → Blue Belt – 17th November (PM Session)

• Little Dragons (Ages 3-5) – 23rd November (PM Session)

Special Notes:

• Some Little Dragons aged 5/6 who are progressing beyond White Belt may be invited to the 19th October session.

• Little Dragons with a Red Belt will be invited to the 16th November session.

Managing Expectations – Belts and Tags Matter!

Parents, we kindly ask for your help in managing your child’s expectations regarding grading outcomes. Tags are part of the grading process and should be celebrated! Achieving a tag (1/3 or 2/3 of a belt) still represents a huge amount of progress, as higher belt levels require mastering more advanced techniques. Not every student will earn a full belt each time they grade, and that’s completely normal.

Practice at Home!

To help your child prepare, here are some useful resources:

• Syllabus for at-home practice: Click Here

• YouTube Videos for each belt level: Click Here

Encourage your child to practice their Japanese numbers and anatomy questions related to their next belt level. Junior instructors are also available to help after class—feel free to ask them for guidance!

Extra Support for Students

Extra Lessons: If your child trains once a week, they may need additional practice. We offer ad-hoc extra lessons at the following rates:

To book, email: info@sthelensmartialarts.co.uk

• 1:1 Private Sessions: Need focused support? Sensei Daz and Sensei Logan offer one-on-one coaching. They will work on techniques, provide valuable feedback, and help students feel fully prepared. Email us to book!

What If My Child Doesn't Receive an Invitation?

If your child doesn’t receive an invite this time, it simply means they aren’t quite ready yet. They will have another opportunity in Spring 2025. If you feel there has been an error, please reach out to us via email.

Final Thoughts

Grading time is always an exciting period for our students, and we are immensely proud of the progress they have made. We look forward to celebrating their achievements and seeing them grow in skill and confidence.

📩 Stay tuned for your grading invitation!

From the entire team at St Helens Martial Arts, thank you for your support and dedication!