WA Kindergarten 2026: CCS & Costs for Perth Families

What Does Kindergarten Year Actually Cost Families in WA?

Western Australia provides universal kindergarten — 15 hours per week for children in the year before Pre-Primary — through the public school system. Unlike Queensland or Victoria, WA doesn't brand this as "Free Kindy," but the entitlement is built into the state education system and is effectively free.

The catch: school-based kindergarten and Child Care Subsidy are entirely separate systems. CCS does not apply to school-based kinder sessions. For families who work — especially those needing full-day or holiday care — the switch from long day care to school kinder often costs more than expected once all the pieces are added up.

Is Kindergarten Free in Western Australia?

Yes — for school-based kindergarten.

All WA children are entitled to 15 hours per week of kindergarten in the year before Pre-Primary (typically the year they turn 5).

Official source: WA Government – Kindergarten

Kindergarten is delivered:

• At public primary schools (free)
• At some non-government schools (fees may apply)
• Within some long day care services (different cost structure — see below)

What "free" means in WA: Public school kindergarten has no tuition fee, though schools may request voluntary contributions for extras. The sessions operate during school terms only, at school hours.

The Critical Difference: School Kinder vs LDC Kinder

This is where most families get the surprise.

School-Based Kindergarten

• CCS does not apply — school-based kinder is part of the state education system, not an approved child care service
• Operates during school terms only (no holiday care)
• Runs school hours — not full-day, year-round care
• If you work, you will need before-school care, after-school care, and full school holiday care separately

Long Day Care Delivering a Kindergarten Program

• Long day care is a Commonwealth-approved child care service
• CCS applies to eligible sessions
• Year-round care (including holidays)
• Higher total weekly fees than school-based kinder, but CCS offsets a significant portion

CCS source: Services Australia – Child Care Subsidy

Does Kindergarten Reduce CCS Hours?

No.

Your CCS subsidised-hours entitlement is based on the activity test. From January 2026, the 3-Day Guarantee ensures a minimum of 72 subsidised hours per fortnight for most families. Attending kindergarten does not change this.

If you reduce your LDC days because your child attends school kinder, you will simply use fewer CCS hours — but your entitlement per fortnight doesn't change.

Worked Example: Perth Family Comparing Options

The following uses realistic but illustrative figures for Perth families.

Family details:

• Combined ATI: $140,000 → CCS rate: approximately 63%
• Child currently attending 4 days/week at a Perth long day care
• Centre daily fee: $130 per day (10 hours) = $13/hr (below the CBDC hourly cap of $14.63)

Current position (LDC, 4 days/week):

If switching to school kinder (3 days kinder + 2 days LDC):

And during school holidays (13 weeks/year), the family needs full-day care on all 5 days:

In this example, the switch to school kinder does not save money during school terms once before/after school care is included — and costs more in holidays when full LDC resumes. The net annual saving is often much smaller than families expect, or nonexistent.

This is why modelling the full year — not just the per-day fee — is essential before making changes.

Before/After School Care and Holiday Care in WA

School-based kinder typically runs approximately 9am–3pm. For families working full-time or long hours, this means:

Before-school care (BSC): If offered at the school or nearby, typically $25–$45/session. CCS applies if the service is approved.

After-school care (ASC): Similar pricing to BSC. CCS applies if approved.

School holiday care: Full days of approved care are required. LDC holiday rates or holiday program rates apply. CCS applies to approved services.

The cost of these additional services often closes the gap between school kinder and LDC costs.

Turning 6 During Kindy Year

If your child turns 6 during kindy year:

• Their CCS age band may change
• If you have a younger sibling in care simultaneously, the higher second-child CCS rate may be affected
• CCS paid earlier in the financial year is not retroactively adjusted — only future sessions are affected

More detail: Services Australia – Second and subsequent children

Questions to Ask Before Making Changes

1. Does your LDC deliver an approved kindergarten program? (Some LDCs in WA are approved to deliver a ECEF/kindergarten program within their sessions — this may reduce fees)
2. What before/after school care options exist at the school? (Is it CCS-approved?)
3. What are the school holiday care costs for your child's days?
4. Will reducing LDC days affect your activity test hours? (If you drop below 16 recognised activity hours per fortnight, your entitlement may reduce to 72 hrs — check first)
5. What is the total annual cost of each option? (Include all holiday and wraparound care)

Summary

In Western Australia in 2026:

• Children are entitled to 15 hours/week of kindergarten before Pre-Primary through the school system
• School-based kinder is free — but CCS does not apply to it
• School kinder operates school terms and school hours only
• Working families typically need before/after school care and holiday care in addition
• Long day care delivering kinder: CCS applies under normal rules, year-round
• The net annual cost of switching to school kinder is often much smaller than the session fee suggests — and sometimes higher overall

Model the full year — term time plus holidays — before deciding between school kinder and LDC.

Related guides

• Estimate your CCS with our calculator
• Kindergarten and CCS: subsidy rules for preschoolers
• Average childcare cost in Australia
• CCS hourly cap explained
• Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) and CCS