Club leaders and coaches are reminded that the new grading system introducing foundation levels and provisional poom belt will take effect in January 2017. The primary objectives for the new system are as follows:
- Foundation Levels: To ensure that participants are ready for the challenges of the sport.
- Provisional Poom Belt: To enhance the standard of children holding poom belt.
Foundation Levels
The foundation levels are entry requirements to White 10 for all participants who are 12 years and below based on year. The coaches shall decide on the number of levels the children shall take at a time – one level each time, one and two followed by three or one followed by two and three. If they deem that the candidates are ready for all the three levels, they may arrange for them to be assessed in one test.
For young children who are 5 years old and below based on year, there will be no formal assessment for the first two foundation levels. The coaches will award them the two grades based on their ability to perform the skill requirements during training.
Videos of the requirements for the three foundation levels are available on Singapore Taekwondo Federation Official Gallery on Facebook.
Provisional Poom Belt
For Red 1, candidates will pass, fail or given a provisional pass. Those who are given a provisional pass will be required to go for a confirmation test within a year. They may take the test either 3 months, 6 months or 9 months after obtaining their provisional grade. An additional 3 months will be granted for those who are unable to complete the test after 9 months and have valid reasons to support their inability to do so. Candidates who cannot achieve confirmation within a year will be reverted to Red 1.
Candidates will only be assessed on the areas of improvement during their confirmation test and will be allowed to take their 2nd poom one year after obtaining their provisional grade on the condition that they have their grade confirmed within the period.