THE Archbishop of York has been promoting the work York Minster does with children.

Dr John Sentamu, dropped in at York Minster's Centre For School Visits yesterday to witness the work it does with children.

The centre offers pupils from all over the country the opportunity to learn more about the history, life and purpose of York Minster through guided tours with trained teachers and lessons in the specially-designed classrooms with resources unique to the Minster.

At the start of each year, the Dean & Chapter invites Year Five and Year Six pupils from schools across the Diocese of York to come and learn more about the cathedral.

Fifty schools will be visiting the centre during January, February and March.

Dr Sentamu joined in with the visit of Tockwith Church of England Primary School and saw how the children learned about the Minster as a place of living worship. Some of the children even dressed in vestments similar to those worn by the archbishop.

The centre has many resources, including a scale model of the Minster's masons' loft, which is used to show children how the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe was designed.

The centre also has models showing the stages through which the Minster went to become the building it is today.

Keith Jones, Dean of York, said: "Last year nearly 45,000 pupils and staff were booked through the Centre For School Visits to York Minster, and nearly 12,000 of these were taught through the centre.

"So I am delighted that the archbishop got to see and enjoy for himself this important part of the Minster's work with young people."

Dr Sentamu said: "I thoroughly enjoyed my time with children from across York at York Minster's Centre For School Visits.

"It was good to see the children enjoying their learning, particularly about a place which is part of both their heritage, present and future.

"For me, Christianity is a faith of prayer and parties, so it was good to see the children laughing and learning as they dressed up in clerical vestments - as a vicar, a priest and a bishop - and learned more about the Minster as a place of living worship."