Miquita Oliver visited Kilburn Grange School in north-west London to share her passion for skipping, leading a whole-school assembly and three workshops.
Ms Oliver said: “Skipping is fun, it develops focus, physical energy, co-ordination, stamina, as well as an array of mental health benefits.”
Through her brand, ROPES, Ms Oliver promotes skipping as a tool for building confidence, focus and enjoyment.
During the assembly, she spoke about how skipping helped her as a child and described the skipping rope as a “portal to the life that you want, no matter who you are and where you come from”.
She taught pupils the mantra “bounce, bounce, bounce” to help them find a rhythm, manage their energy and skip for longer.
Her message quickly caught on, with even headteacher Helen Khinich and other staff joining in.
Ms Oliver was so impressed by the children’s enthusiasm that she donated several skipping ropes for them to keep practising.
Ms Khinich said: “Miquita was so patient and kind with the children and brought positive energy and inspiration to the whole school.
“We are very grateful for a fabulous morning.”
Pupils from all year groups took part, including those in Reception, and spent time skipping alone and in pairs, improving motor skills, co-ordination and teamwork by synchronising their movements.
One pupil said: “Skipping has always been my passion, it makes me calm and relaxed, and when I was skipping with my purple rope it felt like I was in a big purple bubble.”
Ms Oliver said schools like Kilburn Grange motivate her to keep developing the ROPES programme.
She said: “ROPES is a programme I want to develop further and schools like this one really inspire me to carry on.”
