New South Wales – “Start Strong” program
The New South Wales Government funds preschool education through the Start Strong program, which provides financial support to community preschools, mobile preschools, and long day care services.
In NSW, preschool is available for both 3-year-old and 4-year-old children, giving families access to two years of play-based learning. The Start Strong program ensures that children aged 3–5 can access 600 hours of quality preschool education each year. From 2025, this includes fee relief of up to $2,174 per year for 4-year-olds and up to $515 per year for 3-year-olds in long day care, helping to make early childhood education more affordable for families.
At Sandcastles and other G8 Education centres, our preschool program is designed to support your child’s learning, development, and wellbeing, for now, at school, and beyond. We follow an approved learning framework and provide individualised learning across key areas such as numeracy, language and literacy, social and emotional development, and self-regulation.
Calculate your estimated Preschool fees
Want to see how much you could save with the NSW Start Strong preschool subsidy and the Child Care Subsidy (CCS)? Use our NSW Preschool Subsidy Calculator to estimate your weekly out-of-pocket costs at a long day care centre like ours. Simply enter your details to get a personalised snapshot of your preschool funding and potential fee reductions.
Find an approved G8 Education preschool program near you
Frequently asked questions
In Australia, sessional preschools are usually operated by local government, religious organisations, schools, private organisations or the community. They usually run during school term and school hours, meaning the program runs for 40 weeks per year, with most sessions finishing up around 2 pm, over 2-3 days per week.
Funding and fees for sessional preschool programs may vary, and meals are not covered. Age requirements still apply depending on the state or territory you are in.
The preschool program is also offered in long day care centres. Most long day care centres are open from 7:00 AM. to 6:00 PM, Monday to Friday with flexible drop-off/pick-up times to better accommodate busy working families. Long day care centres run 52 weeks per year, meaning your child would not miss out on valuable learning opportunities during school holidays.
Nutritional meals and snacks are covered in long day care centres, so you don’t have to worry about packing lunches.
Child Care Subsidy applies when your child attends the preschool programs offered in long day care services. NSW’s funding options for preschool can be combined with your Child Care Subsidy savings, making preschool more affordable for your family.
Essentially, there is no difference between the curriculums adopted by long day care and sessional preschool providers. They are both run by qualified Early Childhood Teachers, and they all align with Early Years Learning Framework, focusing on supporting individual children’s development, interests and needs through play-based and intentional learning experiences.
If your child is already settled at a long day care centre, they have the opportunity to stay in a familiar environment, transitioning together with their friends.
To receive the NSW Government Start Strong fee relief, your child must be 4 years old on or before 31 July 2025 to attend 4-year-old preschool. For 3-year-old preschool, your child must turn 3 on or before 31 July 2025 and be enrolled in a preschool program.
Families are required to complete a 2025 enrolment declaration and consent form.
The NSW Government subsidises the cost of your fees for up to 15 hours a week, 600 hours a year, up to a value of $2,174 per child.
Our centres offers integrated program sessions of either 9 hours, 10 hours, or full days. Eligible families can claim CCS for the additional hours and days their child attends our integrated program that is outside of the 15 hours funded by the Government. See the example below.
| 4-Year-Old Preschool | “Fee Relief Subsidy” 4-year-old Preschool | Weekly |
|---|---|---|
| $2,174 | $41.80 | |
| Example | $87.00 week gap fee minus $41.80 per week (“Fee Relief” Preschool subsidy). Total out-of-pocket cost for 5 days a week = $45.20 |
Ethan attends 5 full days of Preschool and Early Education and Care, including all his meals and other requirements. His family’s out-of-pocket cost is $45.20 a week. *Less than $10 a day! |
| 3-Year-Old Preschool | “Fee Relief Subsidy” 3-year-old Preschool | Weekly |
| $515 | $9.90 | |
| Example | $53.00 week gap fee minus $9.90 per week (“Fee Relief” Preschool subsidy). Total out-of-pocket cost for 3 days a week = $43.10 |
Sarah attends 3 full days of Preschool and Early Education and Care, including all her meals and other requirements. Her family’s out-of-pocket cost is $43.10 a week. *Less than $15 a day! |
Monthly credits of $181.16 will be applied to your account from March to December.
For any child that does not attend the Preschool program for the full year, a pro-rata amount will apply.
Monthly credits of $42.91 will be applied to your account from March to December.
For any child that does not attend the Preschool program for the full year, a pro-rata amount will apply.
ACCS will continue to be applied to your fees, there is no change to this arrangement. Families will not be eligible to receive the “fee relief subsidy” as well.
Great News! Even if you are not eligible for CCS you are still entitled to the 15 hours a week up to $2,174 “fee relief subsidy” from the government. Outside of these 15 hours, normal fees will apply.
The NSW Government only allows a child to receive fee relief in one funded Preschool program at any time.
Families are required to complete a 2025 enrolment declaration and consent form nominating which service they wish to receive their fee relief subsidy.
Each day children enrolled in our preschool rooms can participate in the preschool program across the day. All our centres are long day care which means your child can enjoy our engaging learning environments during our extended opening hours every day of the week.
All of our preschool programs run every day of the week. This means families have the flexibility for their child to receive the highest quality learning experiences on days that best support them.
Our preschool program follows the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), a national learning framework for Australia. The program is developed by qualified and passionate Early Childhood Educators and Teachers. Our curriculum accommodates each individual child’s learning, development, and well-being.
Preschool provides a unique time for children to further develop their positive dispositions to learning, oral language skills, and social/emotional and physical capabilities.
To learn more about the wonderful learning opportunities at the centre of your choice, reach out to the Centre Manager at your local centre.