Two Suffolk schools will be cheering on rival South American teams tonight as part of the Ipswich Star’s World Cup Challenge.

East Bergholt Primary School has been supporting Colombia while Stutton Primary School drew tournament favourites Brazil in the challenge.

As the two teams prepare to face each other in the quarter-finals tonight Gill Mitchell, headteacher at the East Bergholt school, said pupils had been getting creative as they learned about Colombia.

Mrs Mitchell said: “We have been having fun with it and it has been really interesting.

“There is a lot of rainforest in Colombia which is our year three and four project, so this has extended their learning with children making art and writing persuasive pieces about saving the rainforest.

“Other children have been looking at Fairtrade and tried some Colombian bananas, while year two made rainstick instruments. We have also learnt some Spanish.

“The matches have been a bit late for the children to watch but we have been keeping them updated with the results and we will all be rooting for Columbia tonight.”

Wendy Worley, headteacher at Stutton Primary, said much of their school’s work had been around teamwork.

She said: “We have been enjoying it and the children have been following the football. We all hope Brazil are going to win, and there has been a super atmosphere.

“As well as looking at the history of the World Cup we have been developing our ‘Be the best you can be’ theme, looking at what you have to do to be part of a team and the responsibilities you have. Our message is you must work together for achievements and to achieve your own goals in life, not just football or sport.”

The school also held a five-a-side tournament which saw Brazil beat England in the final.