Before school care vs after school care: what's the difference?

Before school care and after school care are the two halves of OSHC (out of school hours care). They solve the same problem — the gap between your work hours and the school bell — at opposite ends of the day. Here's how they compare, and how to decide what your family needs.

Before school care (Rise & Shine Club)

Before school care runs in the couple of hours before the morning bell. It's a calm, unhurried start: children are dropped off, have breakfast, and settle into quiet activities before being walked to class when school starts.

• When: roughly 2 hours before the bell (exact times vary by school).
• Included: a halal breakfast, supervised play and a relaxed start to the day.
• Best for: parents who start work early and want a safe, settled place for their child before school.

After school care (Amana Afternoons)

After school care runs from the final bell until 6:30pm. It's the busier, more program-rich session: roll call and a snack, then homework time and rotating activities — sport, art, creativity and Quran through our Iqra Circle program.

• When: bell time until 6:30pm.
• Included: a halal afternoon tea, dedicated homework support, and a full activity program.
• Best for: parents who finish work after 3pm and want the afternoon handled — including homework — before pickup.

You can book one, the other, or both

Families mix and match to fit their week. You might book after school care Monday to Thursday and add before school care only on the days you start early. Bookings can be recurring (a set weekly schedule) or casual (as you need them, subject to availability).

What about school holidays?

OSHC covers term time. For the holidays, our Holiday Quest vacation care program runs full days (7:00am–6:00pm) with in-centre days, incursions and excursions — and it's CCS-subsidised too.

What it costs

Both sessions are covered by the Child Care Subsidy, so most families pay only a small gap:

• After school care: from $3.86 a session after CCS.
• Before school care: from $2.76 a session after CCS.

Estimate your exact cost with the CCS calculator — the government covers up to 90%, and you only pay the gap.

Ready to sort your week?

Find your school to see its exact before and after school care times and enrol in about 10 minutes. Nothing's charged until after your child's first day.