Preschool in Maroubra for 2027: What Changes, What It Costs and When to Enrol

Most families decide on next year’s preschool between September and November. For 2027 that decision is harder than usual, because NSW is changing how preschool is funded from 1 January 2027. This guide covers what is changing, which year counts as your child’s preschool year, how long day care preschool compares with a community preschool, what it costs here, and when to get organised.

Which year is my child’s preschool year?

In NSW a child can start Kindergarten at the beginning of the school year if they turn five on or before 31 July that year, and every child must be enrolled in school by their sixth birthday. Work back one year from school and you have the preschool year.

• Born between 1 August 2022 and 31 July 2023: 2027 is most likely their year before school.
• Born between 1 August 2023 and 31 July 2024: 2027 is their first preschool year, with a second to follow.
• Birthday between February and July: you have a real choice about when to start school. Families often use the preschool year to decide, and it is worth talking it through with your child’s educators before you commit.

We think two years of preschool works better than one. Three-year-olds work on the social side of school readiness, like taking turns, sorting out a disagreement and asking for help. Four-year-olds build the practical side. You cannot squeeze both into a single term. Our school readiness guide explains the signs to look for.

What is changing with NSW preschool funding in 2027?

In August 2026 the NSW Department of Education announced the 2027 changes. The main points for families:

• In long day care, the Start Strong for Long Day Care program is replaced by a new Fee Relief for Long Day Care program from 1 January 2027. NSW says fee relief will increase for eligible children and will continue for three-year-olds.
• Fee relief still comes straight off your invoice. It is paid to the centre and passed on to you as lower out-of-pocket fees. It sits on top of the Australian Government’s Child Care Subsidy, not instead of it.
• Only centres that run a preschool program are eligible. This is the change most families will not hear about. Ask any centre you are considering whether they will qualify in 2027.
• In not-for-profit community preschools, a new Universal Preschool Funding program funds three- and four-year-olds equally. Out-of-pocket costs are capped at the preschool’s current rate or $20 a day, whichever is lower.

What we do not know yet: NSW has not published the 2027 fee relief rates for long day care. They are due with the 2027 program guidelines. For reference, in 2026 fee relief in long day care was up to $1,783 a year for four-year-olds and up to $423 for three-year-olds, and higher for families eligible for the maximum rate. We will update this article when the 2027 rates are released.

Long day care preschool or community preschool?

Both can offer an excellent preschool year. The real difference is how well each one fits your week.

• Community preschools usually run shorter days during school terms and close for the school holidays. From 2027 the daily fee will be capped at $20 or less. If your work fits school hours and you can get a place, that is very good value.
• Long day care preschool runs all year, here from 7:00am to 6:00pm. You pay a higher daily fee, reduced by the Child Care Subsidy and NSW fee relief. It suits families who work full days, need care during the school holidays, or have a younger sibling in the same centre.

Many Maroubra families do not fit neatly into either. That is why we introduced a Short Preschool Day, which runs from 8:00am to 3:00pm. You get school-style hours in a long day care setting, and a shorter day uses fewer subsidised hours.

What does preschool cost at MJEEC?

A full preschool day is $170, and a Short Preschool Day is $100. That is the whole fee. It covers meals cooked here, nappies, wipes, sunscreen, a hat, martial arts, music, yoga, Mandarin, incursions, the parent app and the transition to school statement. We charge no enrolment fee, no bond, and no fees over our Christmas closure.

Your actual cost depends on your family income, how many days you book, and the fee relief your child attracts. Since January 2026, every family eligible for the Child Care Subsidy gets at least 72 subsidised hours a fortnight under the 3 Day Guarantee. Families with more than 48 hours of work, study or other recognised activity a fortnight can get up to 100 hours. Our fee calculator works out your subsidy in about twenty seconds, and our Child Care Subsidy guide explains how it all works.

When should I enrol for 2027?

Now. Places in our preschool rooms only really open once a year, in January, when our oldest children leave for school. Most of those places are settled by the end of the year. We have limited preschool places for January 2027.

1. Book a tour. It takes about thirty minutes, and Lauren runs it herself.
2. Come to a stay and play. Your child joins a normal session, and you watch how the room actually runs. It is free, with no obligation.
3. Join the waitlist for the days you want. A waitlist is not a queue, so tell us the days you need and whether you are flexible.
4. Complete the NSW fee relief declaration when you enrol. In 2026, families had to nominate the one service that would receive their child’s fee relief. We will walk you through the 2027 version once it is published.

Five questions to ask any preschool for 2027

1. Do you run a preschool program that qualifies for NSW fee relief in 2027?
2. How will fee relief show on my invoice, and from which week?
3. Who leads the preschool program, and how long have they been in the room?
4. What does school readiness look like here in the first term, and what does it look like in the last?
5. What exactly is included in the daily fee, and what is extra?

If you want to go further, our 12 questions to ask on a tour covers the rest. You can also read more about our preschool rooms, Preschool 1 and Preschool 2, or call Lauren on (02) 9315 5588.

Funding information is current as at 24 September 2026 and comes from the NSW Department of Education. Check the NSW Government’s Start Strong pages for the latest rates. This article is general information, not financial advice.