Preschool pricing in Sydney is confusing: centres advertise the daily fee, but the number that matters is what you actually pay after subsidies, and that is rarely shown. Here's the whole picture, with our own fees as the worked example.
Our fees, upfront
At St Ives Chase Kindergarten: preschool hours (9am to 3pm) are $135 a day, and the full day (7am to 6pm) is $155 a day, for 2 to 5 days a week. That's the headline number. Almost nobody pays it in full.
The Child Care Subsidy pays most of the fee
We're a CCS-approved service, so the Australian Government pays a percentage of the fee directly to us and you pay the rest. For 2026-27, the subsidy starts at 90% for family incomes up to $88,520 and reduces by 1 percentage point for every $5,000 of income, reaching zero only past $538,520 (Services Australia). There are no sudden cut-offs; a family on $250,000 still gets roughly 58%.
One catch worth understanding before the table: CCS is calculated on an hourly rate capped at $15.19 (Department of Education). Our full day works out at $14.09 an hour, under the cap, so the whole fee attracts subsidy. The shorter 9-to-3 session works out at $22.50 an hour, so the subsidy only applies to part of it. That's why, for many families, the full day costs less out of pocket than the shorter session, despite the higher advertised fee.
| Combined family income | Approx. CCS % | Out of pocket, 9am-3pm ($135)* | Out of pocket, 7am-6pm ($155)* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $88,520 | 90% | ~$53/day | ~$16/day |
| $150,000 | ~78% | ~$64/day | ~$35/day |
| $200,000 | ~68% | ~$73/day | ~$50/day |
| $250,000 | ~58% | ~$82/day | ~$66/day |
| $300,000 | ~48% | ~$92/day | ~$81/day |
| $538,520 and over | 0% | $135 (full fee) | $155 (full fee) |
*Estimates only, before the 5% Centrelink withholding. For your own numbers, use our CCS calculator or the Services Australia estimator; it takes about a minute, or we'll happily do it with you on a tour.
Two things worth knowing. First, if you have two children aged 5 or under in care, the younger one attracts a higher rate, up to 95%. Second, since January 2026 the activity test no longer limits the first 72 hours: the 3 Day Guarantee gives every CCS-eligible family at least 72 subsidised hours a fortnight regardless of work hours.
Then NSW adds Start Strong
On top of CCS, the NSW Government's Start Strong fee relief comes straight off your weekly fees here, automatically. In 2026 that's $35.66 a week for children who were 4 by 31 July, and $8.46 a week for children who turned 3 by 31 July: the standard annual amounts ($1,783 and $423 in the NSW program guidelines) applied after CCS and spread over our 50 operating weeks, with higher amounts for the equity groups in the guidelines. There's no application for you to make; you simply nominate us as your child's fee-relief service at enrolment (it can only be received at one service at a time).
What's included (and what isn't)
Our fees include the program, materials and our educators' time across the full session; you pack morning tea and lunch. We're open 50 weeks a year, closing only for public holidays and two weeks over Christmas and New Year, so there is no separate holiday care to arrange and pay for during school holidays.
What does this add up to for a real family?
A St Ives family on $200,000 with one 4-year-old doing 3 full days a week: roughly $50 a day after CCS, or about $150 a week. Start Strong then takes off another $35.66, so the family pays around $115 a week, against advertised fees of $465. That is the difference between the advertised fee and the real cost. Please ask us before deciding preschool is out of reach.
Enrol by 31 December 2026 and start by 28 February 2027 to receive 25% off eligible permanent booked days during the first four consecutive calendar weeks. Each newly enrolled child can qualify, including a sibling joining the centre. The discount is applied before CCS is calculated and can be used alongside government fee relief where your child is eligible. Offer terms.
What to compare beyond price
Within Ku-ring-gai, advertised daily fees vary widely. What varies more than price: group size (we cap at 40 children in two rooms), educator continuity, outdoor space, and whether the centre's hours actually fit your life. Come and visit, meet Tina and the team, and then compare. Book a tour online or call 02 9449 8829.