Grading Tables
The English and Welsh national brass band gradings are determined by each band's results at the regional championships over a three year period. At the end of each year, the bands with the two lowest aggregate scores in each section are promoted and the bands with the two highest aggregate scores are relegated. The winners of the lower section finals also get promoted.
The Scottish Brass Band Association uses a different grading system where the winners of each lower section automatically get promoted and a combined score over two years is used to decide the other promotion place and two relegation places.
These are our estimates of the grading tables following recent contests, not the official tables! Promotions and relegations won't be official until confirmed by the relevant regional committee.
North West Championship Section
| Band | 2020 | 2022 | 2023 | Points | Promotion/Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band | 2020 | 2022 | 2023 | Pnts | Prom/Rele |
| Foden's | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| Fairey | 2 | 5 | 2 | 9 | |
| Leyland | 6 | 2 | 3 | 11 | |
| Rainford | 3 | 4 | 6 | 13 | |
| Milnrow | 5 | 7 | 4 | 16 | |
| Pemberton Old Wigan DW | 7 | 6 | 5 | 18 | |
| Oldham (Lees) | 8 | 3 | 8 | 19 | |
| Longridge | 6.5 p | 6.5 p | 7 | 20 | |
| Wingates | 4 | 8 | 10 | 22 | |
| Ashton-under-Lyne | 6.5 p | 6.5 p | 12 | 25 | |
| Roberts Bakery | 6.5 p | 11 | 9 | 26.5 | Relegated |
| Blackburn & Darwen | 6.5 p | 9 | 11 | 26.5 | Relegated |
| Number of bands | 12 | 12 | 12 | ||
| Average grading | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
p = average grading after promotion, r = average grading after relegation, nb = average grading for new band, a = absent, d = disqualified
North West First Section
| Band | 2020 | 2022 | 2023 | Points | Promotion/Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band | 2020 | 2022 | 2023 | Pnts | Prom/Rele |
| Manx Concert Brass | 6 | 6 | 3 | 15 | Promoted |
| Acceler8 Band | 8.5 r | 2 | 6 | 16.5 | Promoted |
| Wardle Anderson Brass | 8.5 r | 8 r | 1 | 17.5 | |
| Eccles Borough | 4 | 5 | 9 | 18 | |
| Boarshurst Silver | 8.5 r | 8 r | 2 | 18.5 | |
| Silk Brass | 13 | 4 | 4 | 21 | |
| Freckleton | 7 | 10 | 5 | 22 | |
| Flixton | 5 | 7 | 11 | 23 | |
| Pemberton Old Wigan DW B | 8.5 p | 8 p | 7 | 23.5 | |
| Bollington Brass | 11 | 11 | 8 | 30 | |
| Mossley | 9 | 8 | 13 | 30 | |
| Haydock | 12 | 9 | 10 | 31 | |
| Tyldesley | 8.5 p | 8 p | 15 | 31.5 | |
| Middleton | 10 | 13 | 12 | 35 | |
| Eagley | 8.5 p | 15 | 14 | 37.5 | Relegated |
| Old Hall Brass | 8.5 p | 14 | 16 | 38.5 | Relegated |
| Number of bands | 16 | 15 | 16 | ||
| Average grading | 8.5 | 8 | 8.5 |
p = average grading after promotion, r = average grading after relegation, nb = average grading for new band, a = absent, d = disqualified
North West Second Section
| Band | 2020 | 2022 | 2023 | Points | Promotion/Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band | 2020 | 2022 | 2023 | Pnts | Prom/Rele |
| Valley Brass (Haydock) | 2 | 7 | 3 | 12 | Promoted |
| Hazel Grove | 8.5 p | 5 | 4 | 17.5 | Promoted |
| Whitworth Vale and Healey | 8.5 p | 8.5 p | 1 | 18 | |
| Delph | 4 | 4 | 10 | 18 | |
| Diggle | 8.5 r | 8 | 2 | 18.5 | |
| Allerton Brass | 6 | 6 | 7 | 19 | |
| Skelmersdale Prize | 8.5 p | 8.5 p | 6 | 23 | |
| Poulton-le-Fylde | 13 | 3 | 8 | 24 | |
| VBS Poynton | 8.5 r | 8.5 ra | 9 | 26 | |
| Uppermill | 1 | 10 | 16 | 27 | |
| City of Chester | 8.5 p | 8.5 p | 12 | 29 | |
| Besses Boys | 16 | 9 | 5 | 30 | |
| Marple | 8.5 r | 8.5 r | 13 | 30 | |
| Haslingden & Helmshore | 8.5 r | 13 | 11 | 32.5 | |
| Besses o' 'th' Barn | 8 | 12 | 17 a | 37 | |
| Pilling Jubilee Silver | 8.5 p | 14 | 15 | 37.5 | |
| Blackpool Brass | 10 | 16 | 14 | 40 | Relegated |
| Farnworth and Walkden | 17 a | 11 | 17 a | 45 | Relegated |
| Number of bands | 16 | 16 | 16 | ||
| Average grading | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 |
p = average grading after promotion, r = average grading after relegation, nb = average grading for new band, a = absent, d = disqualified
North West Third Section
| Band | 2020 | 2022 | 2023 | Points | Promotion/Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band | 2020 | 2022 | 2023 | Pnts | Prom/Rele |
| Formby | 8 | 2 | 3 | 13 | Promoted |
| Lostock Hall Memorial | 2 | 7 | 8 | 17 | Promoted |
| Morecambe | 9 p | 7.5 p | 2 | 18.5 | |
| Hoover Bolton | 6 | 9 | 4 | 19 | |
| Greenfield | 9 r | 5 | 7 | 21 | |
| CWA Brass | 9 nb | 7.5 nb | 6 | 22.5 | |
| Hawk Green (Marple) | 15 | 8 | 1 | 24 | |
| Eccleston Brass | 9 r | 7.5 r | 9 | 25.5 | |
| Darwen Brass | 4 | 13 | 10 | 27 | |
| Rode Hall Silver | 7 | 10 | 11 | 28 | |
| BMP Europe Goodshaw | 9 p | 15 a | 5 | 29 | |
| Dobcross Silver | 9 p | 7.5 p | 13 | 29.5 | |
| Greenall's | 10 | 6 | 14 | 30 | |
| Cheshire Constabulary | 9 r | 7.5 ra | 16 | 32.5 | |
| Thornton Cleveleys | 9 p | 7.5 p | 17 | 33.5 | |
| Trinity Girls | 11 | 12 | 12 | 35 | |
| Douglas Town | 16 | 11 | 15 | 42 | Relegated |
| Crewe Brass | 9 r | 15 a | 18 | 42 | Relegated |
| Number of bands | 17 | 14 | 18 | ||
| Average grading | 9 | 7.5 | 9.5 |
p = average grading after promotion, r = average grading after relegation, nb = average grading for new band, a = absent, d = disqualified
North West Fourth Section
| Band | 2020 | 2022 | 2023 | Points | Promotion/Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band | 2020 | 2022 | 2023 | Pnts | Prom/Rele |
| Golborne | 6 | 10 | 1 | 17 | Promoted |
| Rivington and Adlington | 8.5 r | 8.5 ra | 2 | 19 | Promoted |
| Littleborough | 3 | 9 | 7 | 19 | |
| Sale Brass | 8.5 r | 8.5 r | 4 | 21 | |
| Stalybridge Old | 8 | 4 | 10 | 22 | |
| Red Admiral Academy Brass | 13 | 5 | 5 | 23 | |
| Onchan Silver | 8.5 nb | 7 | 8 | 23.5 | |
| St Johns Mossley | 9 | 6 | 12 | 27 | |
| Brindle | 4 | 13 | 11 | 28 | |
| Ramsey Town | 11 | 16 | 3 | 30 | |
| Blackley | 14 | 12 | 6 | 32 | |
| Stacksteads | 10 | 15 | 9 | 34 | |
| Cadishead Public | 12 | 8 | 14 | 34 | |
| Port Sunlight Lyceum | 8.5 nb | 14 | 13 | 35.5 | |
| Dobcross Youth | 15 | 11 | 15 | 41 | |
| Denton Brass | 16 | 17 a | 16 a | 49 | |
| Number of bands | 16 | 16 | 15 | ||
| Average grading | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8 |
p = average grading after promotion, r = average grading after relegation, nb = average grading for new band, a = absent, d = disqualified