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June 30, 2026
Last updated: June 2026.
Long day preschool in Castle Hill typically costs between $140 and $165 per day before government support. Two programmes significantly reduce what eligible families pay: the Australian Government's Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and the NSW Government's Start Strong fee relief. Together, they can reduce your weekly fee considerably. The exact amount you pay depends on your family income, the number of days your child attends, and the fees set by your chosen service.
This guide explains how preschool fees work in Castle Hill and the Hills District, what CCS and Start Strong cover, and how to estimate your likely out-of-pocket cost before you choose a service.
Long day preschool fees in Castle Hill typically run between $140 and $165 per day for a standard 10-hour day of care. Centres across the Hills District, including Baulkham Hills, Kellyville, Cherrybrook, and West Pennant Hills, generally sit within a similar range, reflecting educator qualifications, programme quality, and local operating costs.
Fees are usually charged on a per-day basis, and most centres operate from around 7 or 8am through to 5 or 6pm. Kings Road Long Day Preschool operates from 8am to 5pm, five days a week. Contact any centre directly to request their current fee schedule, as fees are set independently by each service and reviewed annually.
Note: preschool fees are separate from incidentals such as sunscreen, art consumables, or special activity levies, which services must disclose separately.
The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is the main federal support for families using approved long day care. It pays a percentage of your fees directly to the service, reducing the amount you owe each week. The percentage you receive is based on your combined family income.
For the 2025-26 financial year, the standard CCS rates are:
However, the CCS does not cover the full fee if a service charges more than the government's hourly rate cap. For 2025-26, the hourly rate cap for centre-based day care is $14.63 per hour for children below school age. If a service charges more than $14.63 per hour, the CCS percentage is applied to the cap rather than the actual fee, and you pay the difference (known as a gap fee) out of pocket.
Both the income thresholds and the hourly rate cap are reviewed and adjusted at the start of each financial year. Check the Services Australia website or use the CCS estimator on Starting Blocks for current rates.
For a personalised estimate, the Child Care Subsidy calculator on Starting Blocks is the most reliable starting point. You can read a full explanation in our Child Care Subsidy guide for Castle Hill families.
Start Strong is a NSW Government programme that provides additional fee relief for families with preschool-aged children at eligible long day care services. It applies on top of CCS, further reducing the fees you pay.
For children in long day care services in 2026, the standard fee relief is:
The maximum fee relief rate applies to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, or children enrolled at services in areas of greater socio-economic disadvantage, regional or remote areas, or Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations:
Start Strong fee relief is paid directly to your service and passed on to you as a weekly reduction to your fees. To access it, you complete a declaration form with your nominated service. You can receive Start Strong from only one service at a time.
For more detail, visit the NSW Government's Start Strong fee relief page.
The two subsidies are applied in sequence by your service, working together to reduce your overall weekly fee.
For a deeper explanation of how CCS is calculated and what counts as recognised activity, read our Child Care Subsidy guide for Castle Hill families.
A gap fee is the difference between what a service charges and what the CCS covers. It arises whenever a service's hourly fee exceeds the government's hourly rate cap ($14.63 per hour for 2025-26).
Many long day care services in Castle Hill and across Sydney set fees above the hourly rate cap. In those cases, families pay their share of the capped subsidy amount based on their CCS percentage, plus the full amount by which the actual fee exceeds the cap. This is why two families at the same centre can have very different net costs depending on their income.
A practical approach to budgeting:
The most reliable tool is the CCS estimator on the Starting Blocks website, run by the Australian Government. It factors in your income, service type, and hours of care to give you an approximate out-of-pocket cost.
To use it, you will need:
For Start Strong, ask your service about your child's fee relief category at enquiry time. They can confirm whether standard or maximum rates apply and calculate your expected weekly reduction.
No. Each service sets its own fees independently. Typical daily rates in Castle Hill and the Hills District range from around $140 to $165 for a 10-hour day. Individual centres vary based on staffing ratios, programme quality, operating hours, and running costs. Always ask each centre for their current fee schedule.
Most families using approved child care receive some CCS. For 2025-26, families earning up to $83,280 receive 90% CCS (applied to the lower of the actual fee or the hourly rate cap). The percentage tapers as income rises, reaching zero at $533,280. Thresholds are reviewed each July. Confirm current rates at the Services Australia website.
Start Strong applies to approved long day care services that have registered to participate in the programme. Ask each centre you are considering whether they participate, and what the declaration form process involves for your child.
Yes. CCS is applied by your service first to reduce your weekly fee, then Start Strong further reduces the remaining amount. Both apply simultaneously at the same long day care service, provided you have completed the relevant CCS claim and Start Strong declaration form.
The cap is indexed to CPI and adjusted at the start of each financial year (1 July). For 2025-26, the rate for centre-based day care for children below school age is $14.63 per hour. Check the DSS Family Assistance Guide or the Starting Blocks estimator for the current figure after each 1 July.
Kings Road Long Day Preschool has welcomed families in Castle Hill since 1989. Our small-centre design means every child is known by name, and our Learning for Life programme, built around the Three Rs (Respect, Responsibility, Resilience), gives children the foundations they need for school and beyond.
As a long day care service operating from 8am to 5pm, eligible families can access both the Child Care Subsidy and NSW Start Strong fee relief through Kings Road Long Day Preschool. We are happy to talk through what your family's likely fees and reductions would look like. Kings Road Long Day Preschool holds a KindiCare 5.0 rating from 29 reviews and is assessed as Meeting the National Quality Standard (NQS).
Quality early childhood education is one of the most important investments a family can make. We believe every family deserves a clear picture of the costs before they decide, which is why we welcome these conversations from the start. If you would like to know more about how to choose a quality preschool in Castle Hill, our complete guide walks you through the key questions to ask.
Understanding the numbers is the first step. Seeing the space and meeting the educators is the next. Book a tour or contact us to start a conversation. We will help you understand exactly what your family's costs would look like and answer any questions about our programme.
