Kinder program options FAQs
Mount Scopus offers two options for our kinder programs.
We understand that every family’s situation and child care needs are different.
That's why, at Scopus, we offer our Lower and Upper Kinder families a choice of booking options as outlined below.
These options will provide families with maximum flexibility to choose what suits them whilst balancing the hours of extra childcare needed with the government subsidies provided to eligible families.
Depending on what CCS level families receive, under the current government regulations many families could be significantly better off with lower out-of-pocket expenses by switching from the Kinder only program to the fully inclusive Long Day Care program which operates across 48 weeks of the year.
Families are responsible for determining which package will best meet their specific needs and may wish to obtain independent advice.
CCS is not payable by Centrelink before the first day of physical attendance or after the last day of physical attendance either in the Kinder only or Long Day Care programs. Refer to Centrelink for full details of eligibility.
Your out-of-pocket cost for each of the booking options will vary, depending on your child care subsidy and approved activity hours, as well as the additional care you require outside of the kinder program hours.
Please note:
Mount Scopus is not a financial adviser. Families are responsible for determining which package will best meet their specific needs and parents should consider seeking independent advice from an accountant or other professional to take into account individual circumstances.
Mount Scopus has undertaken reasonable care to ensure that the information and tools provided on this website are accurate and Mount Scopus will endeavour to update this page as required. However, government regulations are subject to change at short notice and Mount Scopus provides no warranties and makes no representations that the information provided on this website or by its tools is accurate, appropriate for your circumstances or indicates you should follow a particular course of action.
Mount Scopus is not liable for any loss caused, whether due to negligence or otherwise, arising from the use of, or reliance on, the information provided directly or indirectly, by use of this website.
In some situations, parents may wish to consider booking into a Long Day Care option, even when the out-of-pocket fee might be higher than the Kinder Program option in order to provide their child with the enrichment activities in the aftercare workshops and /or holiday program at a very low incremental cost, compared with external activities.
There are approximately 185 days for the kinder program.
There are approximately 230 days for the long day care program.
There are approximately 45-50 days of holiday program per year.
Every parent will need to nominate which option they would like to book for each child in Lower or Upper Kinder at Mount Scopus in 2025 via Xplor.
Further details are outlined below.
In 2025 you will have the choice to select from two options irrespective of which campus your child is enrolled at; your program selection will be made via the Xplor enrolment form.
Kindergarten program only - 40 weeks
Long Day Care (LDC48) - 48 weeks
If you select the Kindergarten program only then you will be able to book into Out of Hours School Care (OHSC) via Xplor on a casual basis as needed.
If you select LDC 48 then this is fully inclusive of before care, after care and holiday program for all operating days.
If your family is not eligible for the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) then you will be charged for the Tuition Fees in full (less the 'Free Kinder' offset).
Both programs attract the CCS and ACCS for eligible families.
Attendance basis | Approx no. weeks per year # | Hours included* | Beforecare and aftercare workshops | Holiday program |
Long day care (LDC48) | 48 | 7.30am - 6.00pm Mon to Thu, 7.30am - 4/5.00pm Fri | included | included |
| ||||
Kinder only program (KP) | 40 | 8.30am - 3.00pm Mon to Thu, 8.30am - 12.00pm Fri | pay per use | pay per use |
# An operating week indicates that the centre will be open for at least one day during that week, for example if the first day of kinder is a Friday that is counted as an operating week.
*Aftercare finishes at 5.00pm on Friday in Terms 1 and 4, and at 4.00pm in Terms 2 and 3 in line with the seasonal change in the start of Shabbat.
All other fee conditions as outlined in the fee policy issued with the tuition fees will apply to whichever option you select.
Please note that, other than in exceptional circumstances, your preferred booking option will remain in place throughout the year.
The fees below apply to the 2025 school year; see the 2025 Fee Schedule for further information.
Attendance basis | Annual fee (before CCS) / daily fee | Billing period |
Long day care 48 weeks (LDC48) | $38,550 / $170.58 | 1 Feb 2025 - 23 Jan 2026 |
Kinder only program 40 weeks (KP) | $28,432 / $153.69 | school terms only |
Casual bookings
Holiday program: $135 per day Monday to Friday (KP only)
Holiday program and Aftercare includes activity workshops and afternoon tea (fresh cut fruit, vegetables and sandwiches or similar).
Beforecare: $18.75 per session. Applies for KP only
7.30am to 8.30am Monday to Friday
Aftercare: $43.20 per session. Applies for KP only
3pm to 6pm Monday to Thursday, 12pm to 4.00pm (Terms 2 &3) or 5.00pm (Terms 1&4) Friday
Charging for public holidays
ELCs are able to charge for days that are closed due to public holidays or operational reasons. As the kinder program tuition fee at Mount Scopus is set as an annual fee, these charged days do not increase the annual fee charged to parents, but rather reduces the daily rate overall and thus the out of pocket cost for eligible families between the daily rate and the CCS.
Why is there a difference between the billing periods?
The Kinder Program covers school terms only.
The LDC 48 option includes the holiday program. As children can only attend the holiday program after they have commenced kinder, by starting billing in February and finishing the end of January, this allows the holiday programs at the end of both Lower Kinder and Upper Kinder to be included in this fee structure.
Please note: children enrolled in the kinder only program who are not returning to Scopus for the following school year are unable to attend the January holiday program.
Working out the out of pocket costs
Read the tab on Goverment subsidies and funding before accessing the CCS estimator provided by the government through Centrelink.
There are two key sources of government funding assistance for the Early Learning Years.
Child Care Subsidy - income and activity level eligiblity apply;
'Free Kinder' offset - applies to all children registered in a three or four year old kinder program in Victoria.
Child Care Subsidy - How do we know if we are eligible?
The government’s Child Care Subsidy (CCS) reduces the amount of out-of-pocket fees that eligible families will pay.
The amount of child care subsidy eligible families will receive will depend on income and approved activity levels as defined by Centrelink.
You may be eligible for child care subsidy if you have a combined household annual income of under $530,000 in the 2024/25 financial year.
To learn more about child care subsidy, please go to https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/child-care-subsidy
To apply for child care subsidy, or to update your income estimate for 2023-2024 please go to your myGov online account or Express Plus Centrelink mobile app.
What are 'activity levels' and how are they calculated?
The more hours of recognised activity (as defined by Centrelink) you do, the more hours of child care subsidy you can access, up to a maximum of 100 hours per fortnight for each child.
If you have a partner, the lower of your or your partner’s activity level will determine the hours of child care subsidy you can access.
A broad range of activities can be included when calculating your activity hours including:
- paid work, including being self-employed;
- paid or unpaid leave, including paid or unpaid parental or maternity leave (based on hours prior to leave);
- doing unpaid work in the family business;
- taking your child to and from child care;
- training courses to improve work skills or employment prospects;
- an approved course of education or study;
- volunteering;
- actively setting up a business;
- actively looking for work.
Calculating your activity level
Activity hours do not need to coincide with child care hours.
For example, if you undertake an approved activity on the weekends, you can still include those activities in your calculation.
Time taken to travel between GBH or FKI and your approved activity can also be included in your activity hours.
Different types of approved activities should be combined to calculate your total activity hours.
How do we update our activity and income levels?
To update the amount of approved activity that you do a week and/or your combined income, please go to your Centrelink online account through myGov.
It is vital that if your activity or income levels change during the course of the year that you update them as this may be reflected in your CCS benefits.
If your child has not yet been in childcare, or you haven't yet registered for the Child Care Subsidy then please do so. To be able to calculate which package will be best for you, you will need to know your subsidy percentage rate and the number of approved hours of subsidised care per week that you are eligible for.
The government CCS estimator tool can be accessed here.
'Free Kinder' offset
The Federal Government will provide further assistance to families for children enrolled in a kinder program in a long day care setting to help with the cost of providing quality early learning. Mount Scopus kindergartens operate a kinder program in a long day care setting.
This is known as the 'Free Kinder' program, although in 2025 the government offset is $2101 per child per year for kinder programs in a long day care setting.
This offset applies for all children enrolled in our Lower and Upper Kinder programs in either campus, unless the offset is being claimed for a child at another centre. Parents/guardians will be required to complete a declaration form confirming they are not registered to receive the offset at another centre as part of the starting documentation.
The offset will be paid directly to the centre and applied as a clearly labelled credit on the fee statement as and when the College receives the funding from the government. The offset will be credited after the CCS has been applied (for eligible families), thus maximising the benefit.
Free Kinder payments will not impact the CCS payments; it is additional to them. Families who are not eligible for the CCS will automatically receive the $2101 offset based on them claiming it for their child at Mount Scopus.
Other than completing the declaration form there is nothing that families need to do; the credit will automatically be applied.