A transparent look at how we help every child progress through their Kung Fu journey at their own pace
As a parent, one of the most common questions we hear is: “How does grading work?” It’s an important question because grading represents more than just earning a new belt—it’s a milestone in your child’s martial arts journey that reflects their growth, dedication, and mastery of skills.
At Kung Fu Schools Horsham, we’ve spent years refining our grading system to ensure it does one crucial thing: builds confidence while maintaining high standards. Let me walk you through exactly how it works.
The Eight-Week Journey: More Than Just a Test
Unlike traditional testing systems that can create anxiety and pressure, our eight-week grading cycle is designed to be a natural progression of learning. Here’s how each phase works:
Weeks 1–4: Building the Foundation
Every eight weeks, we introduce a new syllabus. These first four weeks are all about exploration and foundation-building. Students learn the basic moves within their group, and we focus on:
- Introducing new techniques in a fun, engaging way
- Building muscle memory through repetition
- Allowing students to make mistakes and learn from them
- Creating a supportive environment where questions are encouraged
This phase is crucial because it removes the pressure of “getting it right” immediately. Students can focus purely on learning.
Week 5: The Tip Test – A Progress Check, Not a Pass/Fail
In Week 5, we conduct what we call a “Tip Test” or “Training in Progress” assessment. This isn’t a formal test—it’s an in-class observation where we:
- Tick boxes on each student’s grading form
- Identify areas of strength
- Highlight areas that need a bit more practice
- Provide clear feedback to both students and parents
This gives everyone—instructors, parents, and students—a clear picture of where each child stands and what they need to focus on in the coming weeks.
Week 7: Pre-Grading – The Dress Rehearsal
Think of Week 7 as the dress rehearsal before the big performance. We go over all the material that will be covered in the actual grading. This week is about:
- Refining techniques
- Building confidence
- Answering any last-minute questions
- Ensuring every student feels prepared and ready
By the end of this week, students know exactly what to expect, which significantly reduces anxiety.
Week 8: Grading Week – Demonstrating Mastery
This is the moment students have been working toward! During Grading Week, students demonstrate the material they’ve learned throughout the cycle. The key difference here is independence—they perform with minimal help from instructors, showing us what they’ve truly mastered.
But here’s what makes our approach different…
What Happens After Grading? Our Confidence-First Approach
When Students Pass
When a student successfully demonstrates their skills, they receive:
- A certificate of achievement
- Their new sash
- Black or red badges (for higher belt levels)
We celebrate their success and acknowledge the hard work they’ve put in over the past eight weeks.
When Students Need More Time
Here’s where our system really shines. Sometimes a child needs a little more time to master certain elements. Maybe they struggled with a particular technique, or perhaps they missed a few classes due to illness.
In traditional martial arts schools, this might mean the child doesn’t receive their belt, which can be devastating for their confidence and motivation.
We do things differently.
Even if a student needs more practice on specific elements, we still present them with their new belt and certificate. Why? Because we never want to hold back their progress or damage their confidence in front of their peers.
However, during the next grading cycle, instead of working toward a new belt, they’ll regrade the specific elements they found challenging. This means:
- They still advance with their peers
- Their confidence and motivation remain high
- They get additional focused practice on areas that need improvement
- They don’t move to the next level until they’ve truly mastered the fundamentals
Important for parents: If your child is regrading on a few elements, you do not have to pay again. They participate in grading week and attend normal classes—we simply focus on the elements they need to improve before moving forward.
The Psychology Behind Our Approach
You might wonder: “If they get the belt anyway, where’s the incentive to try hard?”
Great question. Here’s the psychology behind our method:
Removing Test Anxiety: From your child’s perspective, they’re not “grading again.” The pressure is completely removed. It becomes just another class where they can work to their best abilities without the stress of a formal test.
Building Intrinsic Motivation: When children aren’t paralyzed by fear of failure, they’re free to focus on actual improvement. They develop a love for learning rather than just performing for rewards.
Maintaining Peer Relationships: Children advance with their age group and friends, which is crucial for social development and continued engagement with the program.
Focused Improvement: By identifying specific elements that need work, we can provide targeted instruction rather than making a child repeat an entire grading unnecessarily.
Some children can feel overwhelmed by formal gradings or tests. Our approach allows them to demonstrate their skills in a relaxed, supportive environment where they can truly shine.
Real-World Example: How This Works in Practice
Let me share a typical scenario:
Emma is working toward her yellow sash. She’s done brilliantly with her forms and kicks, but during the Tip Test, we notice she’s struggling with one particular hand technique.
On Grading Week, Emma demonstrates everything she’s learned. She does great with most of it, but that hand technique still needs work.
Here’s what happens:
- Emma receives her yellow sash and certificate along with her classmates
- We note on her record that she needs to regrade the specific hand technique
- Over the next eight-week cycle, while other students work toward their next belt, Emma works on her yellow sash material plus that hand technique
- During the next Grading Week, we observe Emma’s hand technique in a relaxed class setting
- Once she demonstrates mastery, she’s cleared to begin working toward her next belt in the following cycle
Emma never felt like she “failed.” She advanced with her friends, maintained her confidence, and ultimately mastered the technique that was challenging for her.
Our Commitment: Every Child Succeeds
At Kung Fu Schools Horsham, we believe that every child can succeed in martial arts when given the right support, time, and encouragement. Our grading system reflects this belief.
We maintain high standards—students must demonstrate genuine mastery before advancing to more complex material. But we also recognize that children develop at different rates and that confidence is just as important as competence.
Our goal is always to ensure every student progresses with confidence, skill, and a genuine understanding of their Kung Fu journey.
Questions About Your Child’s Progress?
Transparency is important to us. If you ever have questions about where your child stands, what they’re working on, or how the grading system works, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
You can contact me directly:
Stephen Dunsdon
Owner & Head Instructor
Kung Fu Schools Horsham
Phone: 01403 290120 | 07976 928143
Email: team@kungfuschoolshorsham.co.uk
We’re here to support your child’s martial arts journey every step of the way.
Interested in learning more about our programs? Visit us at www.kungfuschoolshorsham.co.uk or take advantage of our 4-week free trial to experience our approach firsthand.
