A Hampshire school was one of just six nationwide to receive a special visit from the Premier League trophy.

Fairisle Junior School in Lordshill, Southampton, was one of a handful selected out of 1,000 schools to have the Premier League trophy for a day.

Children, staff and parents took photos of the prestigious trophy, awarded to the winners of the Premier League every May.

Head teacher Peter Howard applied to the Premier League Primary Stars before Christmas, and thought that he was being fooled when he received a phone call to say the school had been selected.

The scheme is a new resource available for teachers containing packs and classroom assets and planning tools, including for PE, Maths and English.

Staff were under strict instructions not to let the children know, a task which they all completed.

Peter said: “I managed to get the school into a draw for the competition, and I thought somebody was tricking me when I got the call just after Christmas, they didn’t take long to get back to me.

“We’re the only school for miles and miles to have it, and what a special visit it has been. Staff were told not to say anything, and the children all thought it would be a person, not the trophy.”

Children were told at an assembly on Monday, with all of the school’s 325 pupils having the chance to take a photo with the trophy, most recently won by Leicester City FC.

Peter said: “It was in the front reception for parents to come in and take photos of before the start of the day, although of course nobody was allowed to touch it.

“The two guards, ambassadors for the trophy, were with it the whole time and were brilliant with the kids. Everyone had their opportunity to see it.

“We have got the children to write from the perspective of the trophy and other writing prompts too, it has been really engaging.”

Other school locations that the trophy has visited include Falmouth, Nuneaton, Tooting, Fleetwood and Middlesbrough.