“How much does after-school care actually cost in Bondi?” is the question we hear most often from new families. Most providers answer with “fees vary.” We’ll do better than that — here are the actual numbers for WAYS OOSH at North Bondi, including what families pay after Centrelink’s Child Care Subsidy (CCS) kicks in.

The published rates

Our published rates for 2026 are:

• After School Care (ASC): $40/day — covers 3:00pm pickup from school through to 6:00pm, afternoon tea, choice-block activities, homework time and outdoor play.
• Vacation Care (VC): $95/day — full day, 7:00am to 6:00pm, includes morning and afternoon tea, lunch, and the day’s excursion or in-house program.

That’s the headline number. Most families don’t pay that — they pay considerably less because Centrelink subsidises it.

What you’ll actually pay after CCS

The Child Care Subsidy reduces what families pay out-of-pocket based on combined household income and the “activity test” (hours per fortnight you work, study, or volunteer). For families in the WAYS OOSH catchment, here’s what real out-of-pocket looks like:

• Combined household income under $80,000: Approximately $5–8/day out-of-pocket for ASC, $14–22/day for VC.
• Combined household income $80,000–$180,000: Approximately $9–15/day for ASC, $22–40/day for VC.
• Combined household income $180,000–$355,000: Approximately $15–25/day for ASC, $40–60/day for VC.
• Combined household income over $355,000: No CCS — you pay the published rate ($40 ASC / $95 VC).

These are rough brackets. Owna (our booking platform) calculates the exact daily amount automatically once you’ve added your CRN.

What’s included — and what isn’t

Included in the daily rate: all activities, afternoon tea (Tuesday’s menu this fortnight: cheese, crackers, fruit, milk — rotates), choice-block programs (cooking club with Daria, drama club with Jess, outdoor sport, garden time), homework support, late-pickup window up to 6:00pm sharp.

Not included: excursion entry fees during Vacation Care if a day is built around a specific paid attraction (e.g., Taronga Zoo, Luna Park — we publish these costs 3 weeks ahead in the holiday program). Personal items your child takes home (craft they made, lost-property items, etc.).

One-off fees you might wonder about: there’s no enrolment fee, no bond, no annual administration fee. Direct debit is set up in Owna and there’s no processing surcharge.

The 48-hour cancellation rule

Cancellations more than 48 hours before the booking are free. Inside the 48-hour window, the day is charged at the full rate (this is a regulatory requirement, not us being inflexible — the place was held for your child). If it’s a one-off (sick child, family emergency), reply to the booking confirmation explaining and we’ll often convert the charge to a credit for a future day.

How to actually find out what your family will pay

The cleanest way: submit an enrolment and add your CRN. Owna will calculate your subsidised rate the same day. There’s no obligation to book — you’ll just see the number.

If you’d rather get the figure before submitting any forms, email [email protected] with your combined household income range and how many days/week you’re thinking of booking. Sarah can model it for you in about 5 minutes.

Comparing WAYS OOSH to other Bondi options

Most OOSH services in the Eastern Suburbs publish similar headline rates ($38–45/day for ASC, $90–105/day for VC). The variation in out-of-pocket cost between providers is small once CCS is applied. The bigger differences are:

• Catchment fit: We collect from Bondi Beach Public School direct (5-minute walk). For some other schools we coordinate parent drop-offs.
• Programming depth: We run 8-week clubs (cooking, drama, Lego engineering, garden) rather than ad-hoc activities. This matters when your child says “what did you do today?” — they have a story.
• Wraparound services: If your child needs more than OOSH (psychology, case management, family support), WAYS already has it on site through our Wellness Centre. No external referrals, no waitlists.

How CCS works in plain English

CCS is automatic once you’ve set it up with Centrelink:

1. You apply through myGov → Centrelink → Child Care Subsidy
2. You and your child each need a CRN (Customer Reference Number) — Services Australia issues these in about 2 weeks if you don’t have one yet
3. You enter your estimated combined household income for the 2025/26 financial year
4. You declare your activity hours (work, study, volunteer, looking for work)
5. Centrelink talks directly to Owna — you don’t send us anything
6. The subsidy lands at the invoice level, so what you see in Owna is already the discounted amount

The CCS team on 136 150 (Mon–Fri 8am–8pm) is genuinely helpful if you get stuck on the application — they walk you through it.

If you want to enrol

The enrolment form takes about 10 minutes. We’ll review within 3 business days and you’ll be set up in Owna ready for your first booking. Most families have their child starting within a week of submission.