Children at Ipswich’s Castle Hill Primary School wrote a heartfelt letter to the “brave, strong England” team after Sunday’s Euro 2020 final – telling the players: “We are so proud of all of you.”

And after Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka were subjected to online abuse after the game, the classmates said: “Please don’t be upset, you are amazing role models.”

Ipswich Star: Castle Hill Primary pupils with their lettersCastle Hill Primary pupils with their letters (Image: Archant)

Year 2 class teacher Tilly Sadler wrote the letter with the six and seven-year-olds the morning after the heart-breaking penalty shoot-out loss against Italy.

“Some of the students were coming in later in the morning and the first children that came in were talking about it and were worried and concerned about the players,” she said.

Ipswich Star: The schoolchildren praised the platers as 'brave' and 'strong'The schoolchildren praised the platers as 'brave' and 'strong' (Image: Archant)

On the spur of the moment, the children created a “word cloud” of positive phrases they would use to describe Rashford, Saka and Sancho, after they missed their spot kicks in the final.

“The letter is totally their words,” Ms Sadler said of the children.

Ipswich Star: The original letter written by year 2 class 2OThe original letter written by year 2 class 2O (Image: Castle Hill Primary School)

It started by saying “well done for making it into the final”, adding: “You tried so hard and played your very best!

“You showed us how to be resilient, how to be a team and how to be mighty.”

Ipswich Star: Castle Hill Primary children found the England players inspiringCastle Hill Primary children found the England players inspiring (Image: Archant)

Ipswich Star: Children from class 2O at Castle Hill Primary School wrote letters to Gareth Southgate's teamChildren from class 2O at Castle Hill Primary School wrote letters to Gareth Southgate's team (Image: Archant)

Castle Hill Primary headteacher Gemma Andrews said of the pupils: “I am incredibly proud of them. I am humbled and hopeful that the young people of today will make a difference for the future.”

Ipswich Star: One of the pupils from class 2O with his handwritten letterOne of the pupils from class 2O with his handwritten letter (Image: Archant)

The school also uses its Tuesday assemblies to tackle issues around equality and diversity, with Ms Andrews saying: “It is a part of our agenda as a community because our community has changed quite significantly in the last three years to be much more multicultural.”