Assessment week begins 26 August

Hi Parents and Students

Starting this term, we are implementing a new initiative based on feedback from parents – week 6 of each term is assessment week. This term, that is the week starting 26 August.

In regular classes, instructors will look at as much of each student’s syllabus as they can during class time, and give each child verbal feedback to write into their training notebook. The key point of feedback – how far is each student from being ready for their next national grading? What do they need to achieve to be ready?

Of course, students still have to meet all of the requirements:

• attain the minimum number of sessions (24 up to blue stripe, 32 from blue belt);
• a satisfactory report sheet delivered to the class instructor in week 8 (for those under 13);
• satisfactory behaviour and effort during class;
• and the other requirements outlined in our page about gradings.

Good feedback in assessment week is not a guarantee that a student will pass the pregrading. The student must continue to train hard, and demonstrate proficiency in his/her entire syllabus and below at the pregrading, and pass a theory test.

Students should also have printed their relevant syllabus sheet, and bring this with their training notebook to every class. That way they student can see what techniques they must know that they haven’t yet learned in class. Students should politely ask their instructors before class if there is a particular technique they haven’t learned yet. (Note that students must be proficient in each technique to be eligible to grade – learning each technique is not sufficient.)

Students, ensure you write the feedback from your instructor in your book every session, so you know what you should practise. If you are receiving the same feedback regularly – focus your attention on improving that area!