The Archbishop of Canterbury led celebrations for the 200th anniversary of church schools this year with a special service at Westminster Abbey on Friday.

Dr Rowan Williams said church schools had an important role to play in providing an environment for children to grow into good citizens.

Whether or not pupils are of the Christian faith, the Archbishop said church schools could help them “to see the biggest possible picture of humanity and the world they live in”.

Westminster Abbey was filled to capacity with children, teachers, and church and education leaders from across England and Wales.

The Westminster Abbey service included performances by the Choir of St Aidan’s School, Harrogate, and dancers from the Parish Church CE Junior School, Croydon. Church school children paraded specially-made banners through the Abbey.

The Church of England began rolling out education provision in 1811 through the National Society, 50 years before the state started to take responsibility for education.

The National Society paid particular attention to poor parishes and the Archbishop praised the organisation’s founders for their belief that it was “inhuman and unjust” to send children up chimneys and down mines.

The Church of England’s chief education operator, the Rev Jan Ainsworth, said in a podcast on Friday that it was important to celebrate the past while looking to opportunities in the future.

“Our task is to make sure our church schools find a place within the new system and to bring other schools into relationship with us,” she said.