Yeadon families access free after-school clubs through school-based programs, Leeds City Council libraries, and community organizations. Yeadon Westfield Junior School offers free voluntary clubs including cricket, Scouts, and Air Cadets. Yeadon Community Hub & Library hosts free Code Club for ages 9–13. St John’s Church runs free Family Cinema nights every second Saturday. Leeds City Council’s Healthy Holidays program provides free holiday clubs for children receiving free school meals.
- What Are Free After-School Clubs and Why Do They Matter?
- Where Are the Free After-School Clubs Located in Yeadon?
- How Do You Find Free After-School Clubs Near Your Home?
- What Types of Free After-School Clubs Are Available in Yeadon?
- Who Is Eligible for Free After-School Clubs in Yeadon?
- How Much Do Free After-School Clubs Actually Cost?
- When Do Free After-School Clubs Run During the Year?
- Why Should You Register Early for Free After-School Clubs?
- What Steps Should You Take to Start Attending Free After-School Clubs?
What Are Free After-School Clubs and Why Do They Matter?
Free after-school clubs are organized activities running after school hours at no cost to families. These programs provide supervised care, skill development, and social interaction for children aged 5–16. Free clubs include sports teams, arts programs, coding classes, and youth groups run by schools, libraries, churches, and charities.
After-school clubs address critical childcare gaps for working parents. School typically ends at 3:30pm, while many parents work until 5pm or 6pm. Free clubs bridge this gap without financial burden. The UK faces a childcare affordability crisis, with working parents spending over £8,000 annually on childcare on average.
Free after-school programs deliver measurable benefits. Children develop social skills through team activities like football (examples: girls football with TW Community Sports) and cricket (examples: Yeadon Cricket Club sessions). Academic outcomes improve through enrichment activities like Code Club, where children learn Scratch programming. Physical health benefits emerge from sports programs, with 60 minutes daily activity recommended for children.
Mental health support forms another critical function. Youth groups provide safe spaces for emotional development. The Hunslet Club in Leeds demonstrates this impact, with attendance reaching 121 participants since January 2025. Free clubs reduce isolation for children from lower-income families by removing cost barriers.

Where Are the Free After-School Clubs Located in Yeadon?
Free after-school clubs in Yeadon operate at Yeadon Westfield Junior School, Yeadon Community Hub & Library, St John’s Church, and nearby leisure centers. Yeadon Westfield Junior School is located at Barcroft Grove, Yeadon, Leeds LS19 7XZ. Yeadon Community Hub & Library sits at the same地址 as the community hub. St John’s Church is at Barcroft Grove, Yeadon, Leeds LS19 7XZ.
Yeadon Westfield Junior School hosts the highest concentration of free clubs. During “No Devices Week” (week commencing 26 January 2026), the school ran free taster sessions between 3:30–4:30pm for all year groups. Activities included photography, cricket with Yeadon Cricket Club, Scouts, Air Cadets, Dungeons and Dragons Club, Youth Group, Boccia, cooking Italian food, woodwork, art printing, firepit activities, and dominoes.
Yeadon Community Hub & Library hosts Code Club on Wednesday afternoons. Leeds Libraries runs seven Code Clubs citywide, aimed at 9–13-year-olds. The Yeadon location began regular after-school sessions in 2026, with seven-session programs exploring easy-to-learn coding projects.
St John’s Church operates youth programs including Brownies and Guides every Monday from 5:00pm. The Young People’s Discipleship Group meets Wednesdays (9–14 years) from 4:00–5:30pm and Tuesdays (15+ years) from 5:30pm. Family Cinema Night occurs every second Saturday of the month, completely free with free popcorn per child.
Nearby locations expand options. Aireborough Leisure Centre offers junior gym hours Monday–Thursday 3:00–5:30pm. The Barn Yeadon hosts TRIBE family fitness HIIT classes Friday at 11am for all ages. Yeadon Cricket Club provides U9, U11, and U13s training at High St, Yeadon, Leeds LS19 7TA.
How Do You Find Free After-School Clubs Near Your Home?
Families find free after-school clubs through school communications, Leeds City Council websites, library programs, and local community groups. Start by contacting your child’s school directly. Schools inform parents about available clubs via email or letter at the start of each term.
Yeadon Westfield Junior School provides clubs on a termly basis. Parents receive notifications about opportunities and enrollment processes. The school offers both free voluntary staff-led clubs and paid external organization clubs. Ask the school office about free options specifically, as staff often run clubs without charge.
Visit Yeadon Community Hub & Library in person or check their online events calendar. Leeds Libraries publishes Code Club schedules and other children’s activities on the Leeds City Council website. Library staff can recommend age-appropriate programs and help with registration.
Check Leeds City Council’s official resources. The council maintains information on children’s services, including after-school provision. The Healthy Holidays program page lists over 80 clubs across Leeds at schools, voluntary organizations, and council venues. Use the interactive map on healthyholidays.leeds.gov.uk to find the closest club.
Join local Facebook groups for real-time updates. The Otley and Yeadon Community Hubs & Libraries Facebook page announces new programs like the 2026 Code Club rollout. North & South Leeds Mumbler and Wharfedale Mumbler publish event listings for youth activities.
Contact uniformed organizations directly. Scouts and Guides maintain local group contacts. Brownies and Guides at St John’s Church meet Mondays at 5:00pm. Air Cadets contact details appear through school club announcements.
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What Types of Free After-School Clubs Are Available in Yeadon?
Yeadon offers free after-school clubs in sports, creative arts, technology, uniformed organizations, and general youth groups. Each category serves different developmental needs and age ranges.
Sports clubs include football, cricket, cycling, and multi-sports programs. Girls Football with TW Community Sports runs Tuesday 3:30–4:30pm at Yeadon Westfield Junior School. Cricket sessions partner with Yeadon Cricket Club, offering U9, U11, and U13s training. Yeadon Cricket Club’s Stars program provides free bat, ball, cap, and bag for children aged 5–9 upon registration. FREE after-school bike club sessions occur Thursday evenings at Yeadon Tarn BMX track. Boccia (a precision ball sport) appears in school taster sessions.
Creative arts clubs encompass photography, woodwork, art printing, cooking, and Dungeons and Dragons. During No Devices Week, Yeadon Westfield Junior School offered photography, woodwork, art (printing), and cooking Italian food with language learning. Dungeons and Dragons Club provides creative storytelling and strategic thinking.
Technology clubs feature Code Club as the primary option. Code Club teaches Scratch programming to 9–13-year-olds. Sessions last seven weeks, exploring various coding projects. Code Club is free and open to all school-aged young people.
Uniformed organizations include Scouts, Guides, Brownies, and Air Cadets. Brownies and Guides meet every Monday from 5:00pm at St John’s Church. Scouts participate in school taster sessions and maintain local groups. Air Cadets offer military-style training and activities.
General youth groups provide open social spaces. Youth Group appears in school taster sessions. Young People’s Discipleship Group at St John’s serves ages 9–14 (Wednesdays) and 15+ (Tuesdays). Family Cinema Night offers film viewing with popcorn every second Saturday.
Who Is Eligible for Free After-School Clubs in Yeadon?
Eligibility varies by program: most school and library clubs are open to all local children, while Healthy Holidays requires free school meals eligibility. Understanding these distinctions prevents confusion during enrollment.
School-based free clubs at Yeadon Westfield Junior School are generally open to all enrolled pupils. The school explicitly offers “free of charge by staff on a voluntary basis” clubs. No Devices Week taster sessions served “all year groups across the school”. Enrollment typically requires being a current student at the school.
Code Club at Yeadon Library is free and open to all school-aged young people aged 9–13. Leeds Libraries states “we never want to turn anyone away,” welcoming younger siblings to participate. No income-based eligibility applies.
Healthy Holidays programs require income-related free school meals eligibility. Children must be in Reception through Year 11 and receive benefits-related free school meals. The scheme serves over 80 clubs across Leeds but restricts access to eligible families. Parents create an account at healthyholidays.leeds.gov.uk, register children, and confirm eligibility before booking.
Church-based programs at St John’s Church are typically open to all children regardless of religious affiliation. Brownies, Guides, and Young People’s Discipleship Group welcome participants from the wider community. Family Cinema Night is “completely free” with no restrictions mentioned.
Uniformed organizations like Scouts and Air Cadets usually accept members based on age rather than income. Age ranges include 6–8 years for Beaver Scouts, with older sections for teens. Some organizations may request membership fees, though taster sessions are often free.
How Much Do Free After-School Clubs Actually Cost?
True free clubs cost £0, but many “low-cost” programs charge £3.50–£13.50 per session. Distinguishing between genuinely free and subsidized programs prevents budget surprises.
Genuinely free programs include:
- School voluntary clubs at Yeadon Westfield Junior School (£0)
- Code Club at Yeadon Library (£0)
- Family Cinema Night at St John’s Church (£0, includes free popcorn)
- No Devices Week taster sessions (£0)
- Healthy Holidays for eligible families (£0, includes meals)
- FREE after-school bike club at Yeadon Tarn (£0)
Low-cost programs to distinguish:
- Bee Happy Kids After-School Club: £13.50 (3–6pm), £7.50 (7–9am before school)
- Cricket for tots at Menston: £3.50 per week for non-members
- 5’s indoor cricket at Yeadon: £4.00 PAYG
- Children’s Corner Childcare after-school clubs: runs until 6pm, fees apply
Healthy Holidays includes all costs: breakfast, lunch, entry, coaching, and games equipment. The program provides hot, nutritious meals with dietary requirements catered by advance request.
Some programs offer free trials or taster sessions before charging. Yeadon Westfield Junior School’s No Devices Week provided free taster sessions across multiple activities. This allows families to test programs before committing to paid options.
Financial assistance may exist for low-cost programs. The Hunslet Club charges “less than the cost of a coffee” for boxing, gymnastics, and pom-dance, while maintaining a fully free youth club option.
When Do Free After-School Clubs Run During the Year?
Free after-school clubs operate during term time (September–July), with separate holiday programs during Easter, summer, and Christmas breaks. Term dates and holiday schedules determine availability.
Term-time clubs run Monday–Friday, typically 3:30pm–5:30pm. Yeadon Westfield Junior School clubs operate 3:30–4:30pm on specific weekdays. Tuesday features Girls Football, Wednesday offers Guitar, Thursday provides Football courses. Brownies and Guides meet Mondays from 5:00pm throughout term time. Young People’s Discipleship Group meets Wednesdays 4:00–5:30pm (9–14 years) and Tuesdays 5:30pm (15+ years).
Code Club at Yeadon Library runs Wednesday afternoons during term time. The program operates over seven-session blocks, suggesting term-aligned scheduling.
Holiday programs concentrate during school breaks. Healthy Holidays runs Easter (3–20 April 2026), Summer (27 July–28 August 2026), and Christmas (21 December 2026–1 January 2027). These programs serve Reception–Year 11 children with free school meals. Over 80 clubs operate across Leeds during holidays.
Family Cinema Night occurs every second Saturday of the month year-round. This schedule provides weekend activity regardless of term status.
Special events like “No Devices Week” occur during specific weeks. The 2026 No Devices Week ran the week commencing 26 January, offering free taster sessions 3:30–4:30pm. Schools announce these events via email or letter.
Summer league registration opens in spring for sports programs. YEAA Summer League 2025 registration opened in early 2025, suggesting annual cycles.
Why Should You Register Early for Free After-School Clubs?
Spaces fill quickly due to high demand, with some programs requiring advance booking and limited capacity. Early registration secures places before they disappear.
Code Club explicitly states “Spaces are limited so booking is essential”. Leeds Libraries welcomes younger siblings but maintains capacity limits. Programs like this require booking through Eventbrite or the library website.
Healthy Holidays requires account creation and eligibility confirmation before booking. Parents must log in, register each child, and wait for eligibility confirmation before browsing available clubs. This process takes time, especially during peak enrollment periods.
School-based clubs operate on a termly basis with email notifications. Parents receive information about opportunities at term start, but popular clubs may fill before the term begins. The school’s Girls Football club with TW Community Sports and Guitar lessons with Get into Guitar likely have limited instructor capacity.
The Hunslet Club demonstrates demand pressure, with attendance consistently breaking records and reaching 121 participants since January 2025. Free youth clubs in high-demand areas experience similar pressure.
Healthy Holidays providers restrict some events to specific schools or areas. Event descriptions state “only open to children from…” limiting availability. Early inquiry identifies which clubs serve your child’s school or neighborhood.
Cancellation policies require prompt communication. Healthy Holidays asks parents to cancel places if unable to attend, freeing spots for other children. Late cancellations waste limited resources.

What Steps Should You Take to Start Attending Free After-School Clubs?
Contact your child’s school first, visit Yeadon Library for Code Club, check Healthy Holidays eligibility, and attend church programs directly. Follow this sequence to maximize options efficiently.
Step 1: Ask your child’s school office about free clubs. Request information about voluntary staff-led programs and termly club announcements. Yeadon Westfield Junior School parents receive emails or letters about opportunities.
Step 2: Visit Yeadon Community Hub & Library in person. Speak with library staff about Code Club enrollment for ages 9–13. Register for the next seven-session block starting soon.
Step 3: Check Healthy Holidays eligibility at healthyholidays.leeds.gov.uk. Create an account and register children if receiving income-related free school meals. Browse the interactive map for nearby providers.
Step 4: Contact St John’s Church for children’s programs. Call 0113 250 1764 or email church.office@stjohnsyeadon.org. Register for Brownies, Guides, or Young People’s Discipleship Group. Attend Family Cinema Night on the second Saturday without registration.
Step 5: Join local Facebook groups for updates. Follow Otley and Yeadon Community Hubs & Libraries for new program announcements. Monitor Wharfedale Mumbler for event listings.
Step 6: Book early and confirm details. Some programs require advance booking through Eventbrite or library systems. Confirm times, locations, and any required equipment before the first session.
Yeadon offers multiple genuinely free after-school options for children aged 5–16. School-based clubs, library coding programs, church youth groups, and council holiday schemes provide diverse activities without cost. Families who proactively contact schools, visit libraries, and check council resources secure places in high-demand programs. Early registration prevents missing out on limited spaces while ensuring children access supervised care, skill development, and social interaction after school hours.
What free after-school clubs are available in Yeadon for kids?
Yeadon offers free after-school clubs including football, cricket, coding, Scouts, Brownies, Air Cadets, youth groups, art activities, bike clubs, and free Family Cinema Nights. Many clubs run through schools, libraries, churches, and Leeds City Council programs.