Smiths Children
GoodTakes funded hours★ 4.3 on GoogleBirth to 5Long established
A day nursery in Cambridge for babies from 6 months up to 5 year olds, open 08:00 to 18:00, 5 days a week. £107.69 a day for 24 - 35 months, and they take the funded hours. Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2022. Open since 2011, with 45 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
51 weeks a year, minimum 2 days a week.
| Age | Full day | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 - 23 months6m to 2y | £111.43Standard Private Fees (non-funded) | |
| 24 - 35 months2y to 3y | £107.69Standard Private Fees (non-funded) | |
| 36 months +3y to 5y | £93.09Standard Private Fees (non-funded) |
Before you start
One-off charges to take a place.
- £100.00 Registration Feewaived for families accessing only their standalone funded entitlement, not refundable
Where this came from
The outlined line is the one the price was taken from.
Funded hours
15 & 30 hours of Early Years Funding for eligible children, from age 9 months to age 5.
Worth knowing. Government Early Years entitlement covers the delivery of care and education only. It does not include meals, snacks, consumables, or extra-curricular activities. Parents accessing funded-only sessions are welcome to purchase these items separately (e.g. freshly prepared hot meals or specialist sessions), or may choose to supply their own packed lunch and snacks from home.
What childcare usually costs in Cambridgeshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Cambridgeshire from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
CB4 3DZWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 30 March 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children receive a warm welcome from staff, when they arrive at the setting. They show they feel happy and safe in staff's nurturing care. All children have formed strong attachments to their key person. For example, babies nestle in staff's arms when they are tired or upset. Young babies show increasing interest in their surroundings. Staff gently support and guide babies, which gives them the confidence to explore.
Staff get to know children well and are sensitive to their individual needs. For example, babies smile as they recognise familiar adults. Staff talk to older babies to support their emerging language skills. Babies benefit from effective back-and-forth interactions, that help lay firm foundations for their language and cognitive development.
Children's behaviour is good. Older children are learning to manage their feelings and are beginning to understand how their behaviour affects others. Staff help children to develop the social skills they need to play together. They lead by example, encouraging children to listen to each other, take turns and share resources. Staff praise children when they have tried hard, which develops their self-esteem.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- plan and provide more highly challenging activities to extend older children's learning n strengthen the planning for the outdoor area to provide children with the same rich experiences for learning as those inside.
- 30 March 2022Good
- 9 August 2017Good
- 13 September 2013Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Run this setting? Claim this page and keep these details right.
What to ask them
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- Is £107.69 a day still the rate? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.