Lower Key Stage 2 Skipping Unit: Skills and Tricks

Six lessons that turn Year 3 and Year 4 skippers into confident performers: beginner tricks, partner skipping, the Figure of Eight and a first routine, working towards the Blue and Purple Awards.

Year groupsYears 3 and 4

Lessons6 × 45–60 min

SpaceHall or playground

AwardsBlue and Purple

This unit works towards

Blue Award Purple Award

Every lesson practises award skills, and lesson 6 is an award day that opens the assessment pages and prints certificates. Children who are ready can move on to the next award at any time.

By the end of the unit, pupils can

Perform four beginner tricks with control
Skip 10 face to face with a partner in one rope
Set a 30-second score and beat it
Turn a long rope steadily and keep the pot boiling in the Figure of Eight
Link six tricks into a routine without stopping

KS2 PE

Use running and jumping in isolation and in combination
Develop flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance
Perform using a range of movement patterns
Compare performances and achieve a personal best

The revised National Curriculum is due to be published in spring 2027 for first teaching in September 2028. We will update these links when it is.

The lessons

The full interactive lessons are part of the All-Access Skip Pass. The skill pages are free to everyone.

Skill check

Recap of the basics, rope sizing and a 30-second baseline score to beat by the end of the unit.

Blue

Forward skipping double bounce Forward skipping single bounce Running on the spot double bounce Backwards skipping double bounce Running into a turning long rope and jumping

Open

Straddles and scissors

Beginner tricks: side straddle, front straddle (scissors) and the combined straddle.

Blue

Side straddle Scissors (front straddle)Combined straddle

Open

Ex, slalom and bell

More beginner tricks: the ex (cross feet), slalom and bell, then linking three tricks into a short routine.

Blue Purple

Ex Slalom Bell Side straddle Scissors (front straddle)Combined straddle

Open

Partner skipping

Partner skills: mirror skipping, running into a partner’s rope and skipping face to face.

Blue

Mirror skipping Face to face partner skipping

Open

Figure of Eight

Turning a long rope steadily, then Keep the Pot Boiling in the Figure of Eight, and Clusterjump.

Purple

Running into a turning long rope and jumping Figure of Eight Cluster jump

Open

Award day: Blue and Purple Award day

Routines from the unit’s tricks, the 30-second challenge to beat the lesson 1 baseline, and the Blue and Purple assessments.

Blue Purple

Side straddle Scissors (front straddle)Ex Slalom Bell Combined straddle Face to face partner skipping Figure of Eight

Open

How the lessons cover the awards

Award	What pupils show	L6
Blue	Performs 4 beginner tricks (straddle, scissors, ex, slalom or bell), 4 skips each	A
Blue	Skips 10 face to face with a partner in one rope	A
Blue	Sets a 30-second score and beats it	A
Purple	Links any 6 tricks into a routine, 8 skips each, without stopping	A
Purple	Turns a long rope steadily for others	A
Purple	Keeps the pot boiling in Figure of Eight in a group of 6 to 8, completing 2 full figures of 8 (4 jumps)	A

● practised in that lesson · A assessed on the award day. Pupils pass when they show every skill with control on two different days, so the earlier lessons count as the first session.