After School Care (ASC) and Vacation Care (VC) are both Out of School Hours (OOSH) services for primary-school-aged children — but they operate on different schedules, run different activities, and cost different amounts. After School Care runs Monday to Friday during school terms from school pickup until 6pm. Vacation Care runs full-day (typically 7:30am to 6pm) during the four NSW school holiday periods. Most Bondi families use both, but for different reasons. This guide walks through the practical differences so you can pick what fits.
| After School Care (ASC) | Vacation Care (VC) | |
|---|---|---|
| When | Mon-Fri school terms | Each NSW school holiday |
| Hours | 3pm-6pm (after school pickup) | 7:30am-6pm |
| Daily duration | ~3 hours | ~10 hours |
| Ages | 7-12 | 7-12 |
| Bookings | Term-by-term or flexible day | Day-by-day or full-week |
| Activities | Daily enrichment clubs + free play | Full-day programs incl. excursions |
| Published fee (WAYS) | $40/day before CCS | $95/day before CCS |
| Typical fee after CCS | $5-$15/day | $14-$40/day |
After School Care fills the gap between when school ends (usually around 3pm) and when working parents can collect their children (usually 5:30-6pm). The good ASC programs aren’t just supervision — they’re structured time for the things mainstream school doesn’t have room for.
At WAYS OOSH in North Bondi, a typical ASC afternoon includes:
The differentiator is the enrichment clubs. Most kids spend 6 hours a day in classroom learning and benefit from a structured creative or physical activity afterwards, before going home for dinner and bed. ASC at WAYS isn’t “extra school” but it isn’t “just minding” either.
Vacation Care runs during the four NSW school holiday periods (Term 1 holidays April, Term 2 holidays July, Term 3 holidays September-October, Term 4 holidays December-January). Each period is 2-3 weeks long, and VC typically runs every weekday across the period.
A typical VC day at WAYS OOSH includes:
WAYS Vacation Care frequently includes excursions — Climbfit climbing, High Ropes courses, Symbio Wildlife Park, beach days, swimming at Gunyama Aquatic Centre, Code Camp incursions. The full day structure lets you do things you can’t fit into a 3-hour after-school window.
Both ASC and VC are eligible for Child Care Subsidy (CCS). The subsidy is means-tested and activity-tested but most Eastern Suburbs working families qualify for some level — typically 50-85% off the published rate.
WAYS published rates:
VC is actually cheaper per hour than ASC because the longer day spreads the fixed costs across more hours.
After CCS, the practical cost for most Bondi working families:
If you haven’t yet applied for CCS, do that first via Services Australia — it can take 2-3 weeks to process and applies retrospectively from the date you applied, so don’t wait until your first booking.
Yes — and most WAYS OOSH families do. ASC handles weekday afternoons during term, VC handles school holiday periods. The two services use the same enrolment record at WAYS, so once your child is enrolled in one you can book the other without separate paperwork.
The CCS allowance is calculated per fortnight on a combined basis, so booking both doesn’t double-charge subsidies.
Both ASC and VC at WAYS OOSH cover ages 7 to 12. Older children (13+) are generally outside OOSH scope — they may benefit from teen-focused programs or, for younger teens in distress, from WAYS Wellness Centre or WAYS Secondary School.
WAYS accepts both. ASC takes either casual day-by-day bookings (subject to capacity) or term-block bookings (lower per-day rate). VC is typically day-by-day or full-week, no term commitment.
Child Care Subsidy applies to vacation care exactly the same way as to other approved child care. CCS is paid per fortnight based on your family income and activity test. You apply once via Services Australia, your CCS percentage is applied automatically to each VC booking, and you pay the gap.
No. ASC has daily enrichment clubs (1 hour each) plus free play. VC has full-day programs including off-site excursions (climbing, wildlife park, swimming, art workshops). Different formats because the time blocks are different.
WAYS OOSH is run by an ACNC-registered charity rather than a for-profit operator, which affects how surpluses are used (reinvested in program rather than distributed). WAYS’ OOSH program also has access to WAYS Wellness Centre staff for emotional or behavioural concerns that arise — most for-profit OOSH providers don’t have an in-house wellbeing team.
WAYS OOSH currently collects from six partner schools across the Eastern Suburbs. Confirm your school is on the pickup list via the contact form before enrolling.
If you’re trying to decide between ASC, VC, or both — the easiest starting point is to download the relevant info pack:
For a phone conversation: contact Sarah Vandermaat, WAYS OOSH Enrolments Officer, at [email protected] or 0433 245 322.
About WAYS OOSH: WAYS Out of School Hours Care operates from 63A Wairoa Avenue, North Bondi. Approved Child Care Subsidy provider. Six partner primary schools in the Eastern Suburbs. Run by WAYS Youth & Family, an ACNC-registered charity supporting young people 12-24 since 1979.
Sources & References:
– Services Australia — Child Care Subsidy
– Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) — National Quality Standard
– NSW Education — School holiday dates
Our Family Information Pack covers fees, schedules, and what’s included — for both After School Care and Vacation Care.
A note on the CCS figures in this article: all subsidy examples are illustrative only — your exact Child Care Subsidy depends on your family income, activity hours and circumstances. Before relying on any number here, check your personal estimate via your myGov account or the Services Australia CCS estimator.
Get the full programs and pricing
Everything in one place — session times, fees, CCS worked examples and how to enrol.
WAYS Youth & Family (Waverley Action for Youth Services) was founded in Bondi in 1979 and has supported Eastern Suburbs young people and families for more than 45 years. WAYS OOSH is part of a registered charity offering wraparound youth and family services under one roof. Read our story or get in touch with the team.
