Skipping Awards for Schools: Colour Awards plus Bronze, Silver and Gold
Eight colour awards from White to Black, then the Bronze, Silver and Gold medal awards. Free for every school, from Reception to Year 6 and beyond.
The skip-hop Skipping Awards take pupils from their first jump over a rope on the floor all the way to the Gold Award. Every skill on this site belongs to an Award, so every pupil always has the next thing to aim for.
Each colour is a skill level, loosely matched to a year group, but pupils are never held back by their age: a confident skipper moves up whenever they are ready. Click any Award to see exactly what pupils need to show, and the skills to teach alongside it.
- Pin up the level chart in the hall or classroom so pupils can see what comes next.
- Teach the skills in PE, at a club or at playtime. The scheme of work covers every skill, award by award.
- Tick the class tracker as you see each skill, on two different days.
- Award the certificate in assembly, then show the pupil their next challenge.
From first jump to Gold
Eleven Awards, one step at a time
Then the medal awards, taken in order
The pass rule: A pupil passes when they show every skill with control, on two different days. Year groups are a guide, never a limit: pupils move up whenever they are ready.
The colour awards, from White to Black
What pupils show
- Walks along a rope laid on the floor without stepping off
- Jumps over a still rope with two feet and lands softly
- Jumps over a wriggling rope (Wiggly worms) without touching it
- Can do 5 soft landing bounces (jumps)
What pupils show
- Runs under a turning long rope (Under the Moon)
- Hops five times on each leg (without a rope)
- Holds the handles of their own rope and swings it over the head
- Swings, stops and jumps their own rope 5 times (not continuous skipping)
What pupils show
- Skips 10 times in a row (double or single bounce)
- Skips at least once backwards
- Counts their own skips out loud (forwards or backwards skipping)
- Jumps inside a long rope while teachers turn the rope
What pupils show
- Skips 20 single bounces in a row
- Skips 10 running steps and hops 5 on each foot
- Skips 5 backwards in a row
- Skips 5 side straddles
- Runs into a long rope, jumps once and runs out (see the Figure of Eight long rope game)
What pupils show
What pupils show
- Links any 6 tricks into a routine, 8 skips each, without stopping
- Turns a long rope steadily for others
- Keeps the pot boiling in Figure of Eight in a group of 6 to 8, completing 2 full figures of 8 (4 jumps)
What pupils show
- Side swings on both sides and opens out into a skip
- Jumps a crossover and uncrosses without stopping
- Jumps into Double Dutch and bounces 4 times
What pupils show
- Performs 5 double unders (single bounces in between are fine)
- Performs a full 360 degree turn
- Performs a side swing cross on both sides
- Leads a group routine including individual, partner and long rope moves
- Keeps the pot boiling in Figure of Eight in a team of 6 to 8: 5 full figures of 8 each (10 jumps), with the whole team succeeding
Medal awards: Bronze, Silver and Gold
For confident skippers and skipping clubs, taken in order. Each medal has a set of tricks, then a final routine that links them.
Bronze AwardOpen to any skipper who passes the Safety and Poise checks and the preliminary skips.What pupils show
Silver AwardThe Bronze Award is passed first.What pupils show
Gold AwardThe Silver Award is passed first. Gold is the top skip-hop award.What pupils show
Teach, assess and include every pupil
The scheme of work has a unit for each pair of Awards, from Ready, Steady, Jump! (White and Yellow) in Reception to Tricks, Teams and Double Dutch (Red and Black) in Years 5 and 6.
Every Award has an assessment guide with a class tracker, and pupils who pass go straight to a certificate with their name on.
Class teachers, PE coaches and teaching assistants can all assess. Trained playground skipping leaders can help too: they can spot skills at lunchtime and tell the teacher, who signs the certificate. Pupils can also check each other in pairs, which helps them learn the teaching points.
Any skill can be adapted. A pupil who uses a wheelchair can turn a long rope seated for the Purple Award skill, and a beaded rope turns more slowly for pupils who need more time. Every assessment guide has ideas for adapting each skill, and our guide to SEND and inclusion at skip-hop has more.
From the Orange Award, pupils can enter the 30-second skipping challenge in the free Virtual Skipping League.
Every child needs a rope that fits. The rope size guide shows the right length for each year group.
From schools that worked with skip-hop
Thank you for your visit to our school on Wednesday. The children and staff thoroughly enjoyed themselves and it was great to see the skills that they had learnt by the end of the day. There has been continued interest since your visit, with a number of children showing their new skills in the playground at break and lunchtimes!
Both your coach and the content were brilliant. He has a lovely way of encouraging and praising the kids. It has taken the school over with skipping fever.
What you need
One rope per pupil, sized for their key stage, long ropes for the games and Double Dutch, and reward ropes that pupils can only earn.
KS1 ropes, 2.1 mPack of 10 · Reception to Year 2Shop now →
KS2 ropes, 2.5 mPack of 10 · Years 3 to 6Shop now →
Double Dutch set, 2 × 4.5 mA pair of 4.5 m ropesShop now →
Long rope, 7.5 mFor all the long rope gamesShop now →
Reward ropesBag of 10 · schools only, earned never boughtShop now →Every school needs at least one Double Dutch set and one 7.5 m long rope: between them they cover every long rope game from Reception to Year 6.
Questions teachers ask
Are the skipping awards free?
The Awards themselves are free for every school: the level chart and what pupils need to show at each Award are on this site for anyone to use. The assessment guides, class trackers and printable certificates for every Award, including Bronze, Silver and Gold, come with the All-Access Skip Pass: £149 a year for the whole school, free for 30 days.
Do pupils have to start at White?
Yes, but confident skippers can pass the early levels quickly. Ask them to show the White, Yellow and Orange skills in one session and award each one they pass.
How long does each award take?
It depends on the pupil and how often they skip. Pupils who skip in PE, at clubs and at playtime move up fastest, so short, regular practice makes the biggest difference.
Can we use the awards without the scheme of work?
Yes. The skills pages show how to do every skill and which Award it belongs to. The scheme of work, part of the All-Access Skip Pass, adds ready-to-teach lessons that build towards each Award.
What comes after the Black Award?
The Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. They are taken in order, and each one has a set of skills and a final routine that links them together. Bronze is open to any skipper who passes the Safety and Poise checks and the preliminary skips, so confident skippers can try it before they finish the colour levels.
Who turns the long rope?
Long rope games and Double Dutch need a teacher and a teaching assistant to turn the rope up to and including Year 4. In Years 5 and 6, a pupil can turn with a teacher.
Can parents use the awards at home?
Yes. The level chart works just as well at home, and children love working towards the next colour.
Start your school on the Skipping Awards
Download the free level chart for your hall, then teach and assess every level with the All-Access Skip Pass.
Download the level chart (PDF) See the All-Access Skip Pass
Want your staff trained to assess the Awards? Skipping training for teachers →
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