Schoolchildren with a love of football are welcoming a VIP visitor with a difference thanks to Up For The Cup, a major FA education project backed by England head coach Sven-Goran Eriksson.

The VIP visitor is The FA Cup – the world’s most famous football trophy – which is touring the country, visiting selected primary schools.

England stars including David James, Ian Walker, Phil Neville, Paul Robinson and Sue Smith, Faye White and Trevor Sinclair have also returned to the classroom, to help promote Up For The Cup.

Hundreds of primary schools are currently using Up For The Cup, an education resource linked to The FA Cup that develops key skills, including literacy and numeracy.

Now The FA is offering all primary schools the chance to obtain an Up For The Cup pack free of charge by e-mailing george@kidsconnections.co.uk or by phoning 0207 428 4074.

England head coach Sven-Goran Eriksson recognises the benefits of the innovative FA Cup educational resource.

He said: “I know from my own experience as a football coach that learning and developing new skills is always easier when it’s fun and relevant. It’s true with football, but the same principle applies in the classroom.”

“Up for the Cup” is aimed at children at Key Stage 2, and includes attractive FA Cup wall charts, maps, stickers and match reports. There are eight teachers’ cards providing basic background on The FA Cup, and suggestions on how the competition can be used to improve numeracy and literacy.

England and Leeds Utd goalkeeper Paul Robinson spent the afternoon with ten and eleven-year-old pupils at Woodlesford Primary School in Leeds.

He said: “I know I’d have paid more attention at school if a few of the lessons had involved football.”

Manchester United’s Phil Neville visited St. John’s Primary School in Chorlton, Manchester, where Head Teacher Luke Dillon said the arrival of The FA Cup was ‘fantastic’ and created ‘a real buzz’.

And football mad youngsters in the Midlands had plenty to cheer about when Leicester City ‘keeper Ian Walker visited Stivichall Primary School, Coventry.

Ten-year-old Arondeep Manak said: “I’ll remember the day for the rest of my life” while fellow pupil Emily Hinson (11) added: “I didn’t think the cup would be as big as it was.”

Up For Cup packs include worksheets geared to geography, history, PHSE (personal health and social development) and citizenship. There’s even advice on how to set up a mini-soccer tournament!

“Up for the Cup” has been produced by The Football Association with the help of practising teachers, and forms part of The FA Football Development Programme.

'Up For The Cup' is a comprehensive cross-curricular teaching resource which harnesses the excitement, tradition and global appeal of the F.A. Cup to help children at Key Stage 2 (aged between 7 and 11) fulfil their educational potential.

Containing stimulus such as F.A. Cup wall-charts, maps, and match reports, the pack, which has been compiled with the advice of practising teachers, will raise standards and interest across a broad range of learning skills including literacy, numeracy, art and geography.

There is also 8 Teachers' Cards in the pack with a list of all competing teams in this season's competition, key dates of rounds plus a guide on how to run a mini-soccer tournament. The cards also support the Literacy and Numeracy strategies.

Click here to download and print the 8 Teachers' Cards

Click here for more information about this, or any of of The F.A.'s educational initiatives or alternatively e-mail Donna.McIvor@TheFA.com