Pathfinder Church Club

Thursdays after school | The Pathfinder CofE Primary School | Booking required (but flexible to fit with real life!)

Pathfinder Church Club is a brand new after-school club especially for primary-aged children at The Pathfinder School — and their families.

At its heart, this is an intergenerational club, shaped by our experience in Little Explorers and the ideas of children in Worship Gang. It’s designed to give families space to explore faith, creativity, and community together while also offering a limited number of places for children to attend independently, just like any other school-run club.

Each week will include stories, songs, crafts, games, discussion, and moments of reflection, helping children and families grow in confidence, kindness, and curiosity as they explore the big questions of life.

Who runs the club?

This is a joint initiative of The Pathfinder CofE Primary School and Pathfinder Church Northstowe, with support from the national Church of England Growing Faith Foundation. The club is led by:

Revd Dr Beth Cope (Pioneer Minister for Northstowe and priest at Pathfinder Church Northstowe)
Mrs Rachel Addison and Mrs Hannah Mellows (church–school link team)
Mrs Belinda Bendzulla, our school staff representative, will supervise the children attending unaccompanied

Book a Family Place with the Church Office

How to book

👨‍👩‍👧 Family (intergenerational) places:
Children from The Pathfinder School attend with a parent or carer — and siblings are welcome too!

A chance to grow in faith together
Grown-ups join in the story, song, creativity, and wondering
Especially valued by families who enjoyed Little Explorers

FAQS:

Do family groups need to book?
Yes please! We do need to know the balances of ages in advance to help our planning and keep everyone safe

Does it have to be a parent who comes?
Not at all. As long as there’s a trusted adult who is happy to be responsible for your child (e.g. a grandparent, godparent, or family friend), that’s absolutely fine — just let us know when you book so we have the right details.

Do family groups have to be there every week?
We understand that family life is busy! You don’t have to be there every single week — loosely, so long as you’re with us more often than not, you’ll still help build the sense of community that makes this club special.

Can I sign up mid-term?
Drop us a message. We're hoping to grow capacity as we settle into a rhythm, so even if you've missed the start of term, we hope you can join in. Don't worry, you don't need to have been part of the previous week for the next one to make sense. We currently have space for a few more family groups. So get in touch!

Book a Family Place with the Church Office

🧒 Independent (after-school) places [Fully Booked for Autumn 2025]

Children attend on their own, supervised by school staff

Booked via MCAS alongside other school clubs
Suitable for those who want to join in but can’t attend with a grown-up
This club has proven very popular: so please do send your child as often as possible, as others were disappointed.

Cost and Donations

Pathfinder Church Club is free to attend.

We want every child and family to be able to join in, regardless of financial circumstances.

We’re incredibly grateful for the support that’s making this possible:

The Pathfinder CofE Primary School – providing use of the school space
Pathfinder Church – covering the cost of resources, food, and materials
The Growing Faith Foundation – funding start-up costs and volunteer training
And of course, our brilliant staff and volunteers, who give their time and energy each week

If you're in a position to make a financial donation, it would be warmly appreciated. You can read more about how to support the work of the Northstowe Church Network — and why local churches rely on donations from those who take part — at:

👉 www.northstowe.church/give

Thank you for helping make this club possible — not just for your child, but for others too.

Looking for something else?

If Thursdays afterschool don’t work for you, you are on the waiting list, or if you have children at home in the day, we’d love to welcome you at:

👶 Little Explorers – our popular Thursday morning drop in group for toddlers and their grown-ups
🌞 Sunday Mornings with Pathfinder Church – relaxed, welcoming worship with space to explore, reflect, and grow as a whole family

From our church family...

“I find I’m talking to people at work about what we did on Sundays, thinking through different aspects as the week progresses. The focus of meetings is not on limitations - what we can’t, or shouldn’t, do - but on how knowing Jesus is the best, most liberating, gift the world offers. And at Pathfinder I feel like I’m being equipped and trusted to develop this relationship with Jesus myself.”

“Pathfinder is a beautiful community, in which there is space to explore our faith in exciting ways.

A great church for our young family!!”

“Being part of a church community that is multidenominational is a blessing and how Jesus would have wanted us to approach our faith and the community. It's hard to come by a church that makes everyone feel so welcome with no level of judgement and a constant link and connection to the local community and other churches in the area. ”

Visit the events page to see what's happening across the whole Northstowe Church Network.

Here are some highlights for those who find their main home in Pathfinder Church:

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Want to know more or stay in touch?

See our Contact and Mailing List details on the homepage

Pathfinder Church Northstowe and the Northstowe Church Network are committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Safeguarding Officer. The Diocese of Ely’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our SO. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services.