Childcare and schooling

Types of Childcare Facilities

There are a number of different types of childcare facilities available for parents depending on their needs. These options vary in costs and include centre-based childcare, family day care, occasional care, school age care, kindergartens, Prep schools and playgroups.

There are two childcare facilities located on the JCU Townsville campus, UniCampus Kids and Unicare Centre.

In Cairns, there are a number of childcare centres located near the JCU campus and in the surrounding suburbs – contact details for these centres are available at Cairns Campus.

You can also find a comprehensive list of Childcare Centres in your area in the local Yellow Pages.

Childcare Assistance

You may be able to receive a child care benefit from the government if you meet certain eligibility requirements. The Child Care Benefit is a payment from the Commonwealth Government to help parents with the costs of child care.  Further information is available from Centrelink.

Education in Queensland

By law, children must attend school between the ages of 6 and 15. The school year usually runs from late January to mid-December. It is divided into two semesters, with two terms in each semester and vacation breaks for Easter, winter, spring and summer.

You can find a list of all State and Private Schools in the local Yellow Pages.

To apply for your child to study in a Queensland Government School, visit Education Queensland International.

Schools in Queensland are divided into 3 sectors:

• Preparatory Year: A full-time Preparatory Year of schooling is available to children from the age of 5. Children must be aged 5 by 30 June in the year they enrol.
• Primary: Children must be 6 years old by 30 June in the year they enrol in Year 1. Primary School covers Prep to year 6.
• Secondary: Students are eligible to enter the first year of secondary school, Year 7, after completing six years of primary education. Secondary School covers Years 7 to 12. On completing Year 10, students have the option of either continuing to Years 11 and 12, or leaving school.