A former professional dancer on hit television show Strictly Come Dancing hosted a series of workshops at Skegby Junior Academy.

Robin Windsor held individual classes for each year group, teaching Year 3 and 4 how to salsa and Year 5 and 6 the Charleston.

The innovative workshops were part of the school’s commitment to incorporating a variety of sports into the PE curriculum.

The day was also designed to link with the careers programme at the school, which is part of the Greenwood Academies Trust. After each workshop Robin held a question and answer session with the children.

Pupils asked Robin how dancing makes him feel, to which he replied that it makes him feel happy and stops him thinking about any problems. They also asked what clothes he likes to dance in, and he said anything that sparkles.

The school said the event provided an opportunity to challenge gender stereotypes and demonstrate to children that they can achieve their goals with hard work and dedication.

Robin said: “Seeing the children’s confidence grow while learning to dance, even in such a short space of time, proves how important it is to allow children an opportunity to explore their creative side.

“Dance provides everyone with the tools to blossom and shine, resulting in a real boost in self-esteem and self-belief. It’s also a fantastic way of keeping both physically and mentally healthy while having fun.”

Principal Pauline Marples said: “Robin’s workshops were amazing, and our pupils ended the day with big smiles on their faces, full of energy and salsa-ing out the school gates.

“At Skegby Junior Academy we strive to provide a range of experiences that allow all our pupils to shine, so the dance workshops were a perfect opportunity to try something new and discover the enjoyment of dance.

“Robin inspired our pupils and they benefited from talking to a professional dancer about his career, both on Strictly Come Dancing and outside the show. They learned about Robin’s determination and commitment as well as how he overcame challenges.

“A huge thank you to Robin and the team for coming to school and making such a difference to our pupils.”