Churchfields, HERTFORD · SG13 8AE
Inspected by Ofsted on 14 January 2026 under the report card framework.
Curriculum and teaching and Achievement were not inspected here — a setting is only graded on the areas its registration covers, so this is not a gap in its practice.
Each area is judged separately. Expected standard is the bar every provider has to clear — meeting it is the pass, not a mediocre result.
The bar every provider must clear. Meeting it is the pass, not a mediocre result.
The bar every provider must clear. Meeting it is the pass, not a mediocre result.
Clearly better than the expected standard in this area, though not exceptional.
The bar every provider must clear. Meeting it is the pass, not a mediocre result.
On the Early Years Register and the Compulsory Childcare Register and the Voluntary Childcare Register.
Churchfields, HERTFORD · SG13 8AE. Location from the Ofsted register.
Inspections before November 2025 gave one overall rating rather than grading each area.
The Dell@Abel Smith in Churchfields, HERTFORD was last inspected on 14 January 2026. That inspection used Ofsted's report card framework, which replaced single-word overall ratings for early years settings in November 2025.
Ofsted graded 4 areas: behaviour and routines — Expected Standard; welfare and wellbeing — Expected Standard; inclusion — Strong Standard; leadership and governance — Expected Standard. Each area is judged separately, so a setting can be stronger in one than another.
Ofsted did not grade curriculum and teaching or achievement at this setting. A provider is only graded on the areas its registration covers — an out-of-school club, for example, is not inspected on delivering the early years curriculum. It is not a gap in the setting's practice.
Yes. Expected standard is the bar every provider has to clear, so meeting it is the pass rather than a mediocre result. Strong standard and exceptional sit above it; needs attention and urgent improvement sit below.
The Dell@Abel Smith has been registered with Ofsted since 28 January 2011. Its unique reference number (URN) is EY423158.