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 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Points | Promotion/Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Pnts | Prom/Rele |
| Foden's | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| Fairey | 5 | 2 | 2 | 9 | |
| Leyland | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 | |
| Pemberton Old Wigan DW | 6 | 5 | 3 | 14 | |
| Oldham (Lees) | 3 | 8 | 5 | 16 | |
| Milnrow | 7 | 4 | 7 | 18 | |
| Rainford | 4 | 6 | 9 | 19 | |
| Acceler8 Band | 6.5 p | 6.5 p | 8 | 21 | |
| Longridge | 6.5 p | 7 | 10 | 23.5 | |
| Wingates | 8 | 10 | 6 | 24 | |
| Manx Concert Brass | 6.5 p | 6.5 p | 11 | 24 | Relegated |
| Ashton-under-Lyne | 6.5 p | 12 | 12 | 30.5 | 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 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Points | Promotion/Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Pnts | Prom/Rele |
| Wardle Anderson Brass | 8 r | 1 | 1 | 10 | Promoted |
| Boarshurst Silver | 8 r | 2 | 4 | 14 | Promoted |
| Blackburn & Darwen | 8 r | 8.5 r | 3 | 19.5 | |
| Silk Brass | 4 | 4 | 12 | 20 | |
| Eccles Borough | 5 | 9 | 7 | 21 | |
| Whitworth Vale and Healey | 8 p | 8.5 p | 5 | 21.5 | |
| Freckleton | 10 | 5 | 8 | 23 | |
| Tyldesley | 8 p | 15 | 2 | 25 | |
| Haydock | 9 | 10 | 6 | 25 | |
| Pemberton Old Wigan DW B | 8 p | 7 | 11 | 26 | |
| Roberts Bakery | 8 r | 8.5 r | 10 | 26.5 | |
| Flixton | 7 | 11 | 9 | 27 | |
| Valley Brass (Haydock) | 8 p | 8.5 p | 14 | 30.5 | |
| Hazel Grove | 8 p | 8.5 p | 15 | 31.5 | |
| Mossley | 8 | 13 | 13 | 34 | |
| Bollington Brass | 11 | 8 | 17 | 36 | Relegated |
| Middleton | 13 | 12 | 16 | 41 | Relegated |
| Number of bands | 15 | 16 | 17 | ||
| Average grading | 8 | 8.5 | 9 |
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 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Points | Promotion/Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Pnts | Prom/Rele |
| Diggle | 8 | 2 | 2 | 12 | Promoted |
| Skelmersdale Prize | 8.5 p | 6 | 1 | 15.5 | Promoted |
| Besses Boys | 9 | 5 | 3 | 17 | |
| Delph | 4 | 10 | 6 | 20 | |
| Eagley | 8.5 r | 8.5 r | 4 | 21 | |
| Lostock Hall Memorial | 8.5 p | 8.5 p | 5 | 22 | |
| Poulton-le-Fylde | 3 | 8 | 11 | 22 | |
| Old Hall Brass | 8.5 r | 8.5 r | 10 | 27 | |
| Allerton Brass | 6 | 7 | 17 | 30 | |
| Marple | 8.5 r | 13 | 9 | 30.5 | |
| VBS Poynton | 8.5 ra | 9 | 13 | 30.5 | |
| Haslingden & Helmshore | 13 | 11 | 7 | 31 | |
| City of Chester | 8.5 p | 12 | 12 | 32.5 | |
| Liverpool | 8.5 p | 8.5 p | 16 | 33 | |
| Uppermill | 10 | 16 | 8 | 34 | |
| Besses o' 'th' Barn | 12 | 17 a | 12 | 41 | Relegated |
| Pilling Jubilee Silver | 14 | 15 | 14 | 43 | Relegated |
| Number of bands | 16 | 16 | 17 | ||
| Average grading | 8.5 | 8.5 | 9 |
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 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Points | Promotion/Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Pnts | Prom/Rele |
| Morecambe | 7.5 p | 2 | 1 | 10.5 | Promoted |
| Hawk Green (Marple) | 8 | 1 | 9 | 18 | Promoted |
| Eccleston Brass | 7.5 r | 9 | 2 | 18.5 | |
| CWA Brass | 7.5 nb | 6 | 5 | 18.5 | |
| Golborne | 7.5 p | 9.5 p | 3 | 20 | |
| Rivington and Adlington | 7.5 p | 9.5 p | 6 | 23 | |
| Hoover Bolton | 9 | 4 | 10 | 23 | |
| Dobcross Silver | 7.5 p | 13 | 4 | 24.5 | |
| Greenfield | 5 | 7 | 15 | 27 | |
| BMP Europe Goodshaw | 15 a | 5 | 8 | 28 | |
| Blackpool Brass | 7.5 r | 9.5 r | 13 | 30 | |
| Thornton Cleveleys | 7.5 p | 17 | 7 | 31.5 | |
| Clock Face Miners Heritage Band | 6 | 14 | 12 | 32 | |
| Farnworth and Walkden | 7.5 r | 9.5 ra | 17 a | 34 | |
| Trinity Girls | 12 | 12 | 11 | 35 | |
| Rode Hall Silver | 10 | 11 | 14 | 35 | |
| Darwen Brass | 13 | 10 | 16 | 39 | Relegated |
| Cheshire Constabulary | 7.5 ra | 16 | 17 a | 40.5 | Relegated |
| Number of bands | 14 | 18 | 16 | ||
| Average grading | 7.5 | 9.5 | 8.5 |
p = average grading after promotion, r = average grading after relegation, nb = average grading for new band, a = absent, d = disqualified
North West Fourth Section
| Band | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Points | Promotion/Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Pnts | Prom/Rele |
| Stalybridge Old | 4 | 10 | 1 | 15 | Promoted |
| Sale Brass | 8.5 r | 4 | 5 | 17.5 | Promoted |
| Littleborough | 9 | 7 | 2 | 18 | |
| Onchan Silver | 7 | 8 | 3 | 18 | |
| Red Admiral Academy Brass | 5 | 5 | 8 | 18 | |
| Ramsey Town | 16 | 3 | 4 | 23 | |
| Crewe Brass | 8.5 ra | 8 r | 10 | 26.5 | |
| St Johns Mossley | 6 | 12 | 9 | 27 | |
| Douglas Town | 8.5 r | 8 r | 11 | 27.5 | |
| Brindle | 13 | 11 | 7 | 31 | |
| Dobcross Youth | 11 | 15 | 6 | 32 | |
| Blackley | 12 | 6 | 14 | 32 | |
| Stacksteads | 15 | 9 | 12 | 36 | |
| Cadishead Public | 8 | 14 | 15 a | 37 | |
| Port Sunlight Lyceum | 14 | 13 | 13 | 40 | |
| Denton Brass | 17 a | 16 a | 15 a | 48 | Absent three years running - remove from grading table |
| Number of bands | 16 | 15 | 14 | ||
| Average grading | 8.5 | 8 | 7.5 |
p = average grading after promotion, r = average grading after relegation, nb = average grading for new band, a = absent, d = disqualified