Sonning Gardens Care Home

Reading · RG4 6TQ

Care type
Nursing Home
Indicative weekly fees
From £1,250/week
Inspection rating
Not ratedRating published Jun 2018
Capacity
103 beds
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RightCareHome analysisDecision snapshot

What the evidence shows

Sonning Gardens Care Home is listed as a nursing home. A published inspection rating is not available. Family feedback highlights staff kindness and attentiveness. This topic appears in family feedback. Ask the home to explain its approach and compare it with the inspection findings.

Confirm individual care needs, today’s fees and availability with the home. Positive findings do not guarantee a personal fit.

What stands out

  • Family feedback highlights staff kindness and attentiveness
  • Dementia support
  • Public funding routes appear accepted

Points to explore

  • Family feedback: occasional slow response to emergency calls
  • Family experiences differ on food and dining experience

What we cannot confirm

  • Nursing care is listed, but round-the-clock nurse cover is not confirmed. Discuss overnight clinical support.

Checks for any home

  • How the home feels in the evening and at weekends
  • How consistent staffing feels in person from shift to shift
More facility details
Registered provider
Willowbrook Healthcare Limited
Provider group
BRAND Avery
Local authority
Wokingham
Purpose built
Yes
Ensuite rooms
79%
Opened
2009

Provider network: 49 homes; 47% rated Good or better (23 Good, 3 Requires Improvement).

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Five general checklists and four follow-up emails over two weeks to help you research Sonning Gardens Care Home. Keep this profile open as you use the checklists.

Five checklists · Four follow-up emails over two weeks

Reviewing this with family?

Send the same evidence page so everyone can review the current signals and questions.

Sonning Gardens Care Home Inspection Rating & History

A published overall inspection rating is not confirmed for this home. Review the dates and any findings below; a data review is not a new inspection.

Inspection Ratings by Category

Inspection record date
Inspection rating published · Jun 2018
Registered Manager
Susan Margaret Johnstone
Explore the Care Home Check after reading the profile
RightCareHome analysisCare fit

Published care capabilities

Listed support includes dementia support, sight or hearing impairment support, physical disability support. Confirm the support and environment needed for the individual person.

  • Dementia support
  • Sight or hearing impairment support
  • Physical disability support
  • Nursing care
Find nursing homes near RG4 6TQ

Important limitations

  • Nursing care is listed, but round-the-clock nurse cover is not confirmed. Discuss overnight clinical support.
Care services and supported conditionsExplore the published services, specialisms and supported conditions. Confirm individual care needs with the home.

Care Capabilities

Service Types

What type of care is provided

Nursing Home

Specialisms

Specialist experience with

Dementia
Sight or hearing impairment
Physical disability
Adults aged 65+

Conditions

Can support people living with

Alzheimer's
Vascular Dementia
Lewy Body Dementia
Frontotemporal Dementia
Stroke
Multiple Sclerosis
Huntington's
Brain Injury
Show 1 more
Palliative Care
Show 2 more capability sections

Behavioural Support Signals

Trained to help with

Wandering and leaving the building
Aggression or challenging behaviour
Agitation and restlessness
Evening confusion (sundowning)
Exit-Seeking

Additional Condition Support

Additional support for

End-of-Life Care

Staffing

RightCareHome analysisStaffing evidence

Available information about staffing arrangements. Family descriptions of staff appear in the family experiences section; they are not verified staffing levels.

Round-the-clock nurse cover is not confirmed. Discuss overnight clinical support.
Specialist Staff
Physiotherapist
Registered Manager
Susan Margaret Johnstone

Sonning Gardens Care Home: Weekly Fees & Funding Options

Confirm your assessed quote, including care and extras, with the home.

Indicative weekly fees

From £1,250/week

From ≈ £5,435 per month (estimate)

Monthly estimate uses an average of 4.348 weeks per month.

You may pay less if council or NHS-funded care applies.

Contact the home for a quote

Published fee notes

Prices start from £1,250 per week; pricing varies by level of care.

Council-funded rate — background context

Reference period is unavailable. This is not a current private fee quote or a measure of care quality. Self-funded fees and included services may differ.

Council-rate context (Wokingham, nursing with dementia care): £1,278/wk

Dementia care
From £1,250/week

How care at this home can be funded

Self-Funding

You pay the full fee directly if assessable capital exceeds £23,250. Between £14,250 and £23,250, tariff income applies.

Local Authority

Your council contributes based on a financial assessment. You may still pay a contribution.

NHS Continuing Healthcare

The NHS pays the full cost if your primary need is health-related. Requires a formal assessment.

Family Top-Up

The council pays a set rate and your family pays the difference to cover a higher-cost home.

Not sure how you'd pay for care?

Funding options depend on individual eligibility and the arrangements the home accepts. Our Care Home Funding Report gives a screening indication for NHS-funded care, council support and Deferred Payment Agreements.

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Family Reviews

Loading review patterns and visit prompts.

About this care homeProvider description, registration background and accreditations.

Background context

Home profile

Provider and registration context for Sonning Gardens Care Home, useful once you have already reviewed the main decision sections above.

This service was registered by inspection on 1 June 2023. New services are assessed to check they are likely to be safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led.

Contact & location

Will regular visits and day-to-day logistics be practical?

Travel time, nearby GP services, and neighbourhood safety — so the whole family can visit comfortably.

Practical Information

Visitor Accessibility

  • Wheelchair accessible parking
  • Wheelchair accessible seating
  • Wheelchair accessible entrance
  • Wheelchair accessible restroom

Contact & Directions

+44 118 334 5595Get directions
Explore the local areaMap, nearby health services, transport and neighbourhood context.

Location & Neighbourhood

RightCareHome analysisNeighbourhood

Old Bath Road, Sonning, Reading, RG4 6TQ

Open map

Nearby Amenities

Bus Stops (500m)
3 stops

Neighbourhood

Distances and local context help you plan visits. They do not establish how suitable the setting is for an individual resident. Deprivation deciles describe the area: 1 is most deprived and 10 least deprived; they do not assess the home or its care.

Nearest green space

1.2km away

Daily Life

Will daily life feel comfortable and meaningful?

Review activities, food quality, and facilities that most affect your relative's everyday wellbeing.

Dining & Nutrition

2 dining services listed

Key nutrition points first

Dining Services

Special Occasion Meals
Communal Dining Room

Dietary Options

Diabetic
5/5
Food Hygiene Rating(inspected January 2025)
Food handling:Good
Premises condition:Good
Food safety management:Very good
Explore daily life at this homeActivities and facilities available at this home.

Activities & Social Life

RightCareHome analysisDaily-life evidence

Social life, outings, and engagement programmes based on available information.

5 activities listed

Individual and group options available
Arts & Crafts
Music & Singing
Exercise Classes
Gardening
Yoga & Relaxation
Show activity programme details
✓Organised group activities

Facilities & Features

5 feature groups available

Essential features shown first

Accessibility Features

Wheelchair Access
Lift
Stairlift
Hoists
Hospital Beds

Rooms

Ensuite
Single Rooms
Double Rooms
Couples Rooms

Safety & Security

Nurse Call System
Door Sensors
Sprinklers
Emergency Lighting
Secure Garden
Secure Unit
Show 2 more feature groups

Lifestyle & Amenities

Garden
WiFi
TV Lounge
Library
Chapel
Hairdresser
Cafe
Bar
Cinema
Parking
Minibus

Medical & Therapy

Oxygen Supply
Physiotherapy Room

Provider Records

Loading provider public-record checks for this home.

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Suggest factual updates, photos or supporting information for RightCareHome review. Public-record checks and inspection information remain independent.

Reviewed before publicationProvider updates do not directly edit this page
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Next Steps

Is Sonning Gardens Care Home a good care home, and what should you do before deciding?

Use the visit checklist and FAQs to compare homes confidently and avoid costly mistakes.

Questions to Ask When Visiting Sonning Gardens Care Home

Take this care home visit checklist with you when you call or visit.

  1. Have emergency call response times improved in the past six months?

  2. Who provides overnight clinical cover if needs escalate?

  3. Have there been recent changes to menus or catering staff?

  4. Ask about emergency call response times and protocols.

Also ask about everyday care

  1. What actions followed the inspection report, and can you show examples?

  2. What are staffing levels on day and night shifts?

    Ask whether these numbers include agency staff.

  3. How are families updated when needs change?

  4. How often is the care plan reviewed, and who is involved?

  5. May we speak with a current resident family member?

Common Questions About Sonning Gardens Care Home

How much does Sonning Gardens Care Home cost per week?

Indicative weekly fees at Sonning Gardens Care Home: From £1,250/week. Confirm your assessed quote, including care and extras, with the home.

Does Sonning Gardens Care Home accept NHS or local authority funding?

Sonning Gardens Care Home accepts self-funding, local authority funded, and NHS Continuing Healthcare residents. For NHS Continuing Healthcare eligibility, refer to NHS guidelines.

Is Sonning Gardens Care Home a nursing home or a residential care home?

Sonning Gardens Care Home is registered as a nursing home. This means the home provides nursing care alongside personal care support. Round-the-clock nurse cover is not confirmed. Discuss overnight clinical support.

Does Sonning Gardens Care Home provide dementia care?

Sonning Gardens Care Home specialises in dementia care. This includes Alzheimer's disease support. The home is registered for this specialism.

How do we score dementia-specialist homes differently?

We do not treat the phrase 'dementia care' on its own as proof of quality. On RightCareHome, dementia-specialist homes are checked more carefully for dementia-specific fit signals such as whether dementia care is registered, whether secure or wandering support is clearly published, whether nursing cover is available when needs are more complex, and whether inspection or family feedback supports that positioning.

Show 11 more questions
How many beds does Sonning Gardens Care Home have?

Sonning Gardens Care Home has 103 registered beds. The home provides nursing care.

What do care home reviews say about Sonning Gardens Care Home?

Family feedback raises points to discuss with the home. The combined public feedback rating is 4.2 out of 5.

Are Sonning Gardens Care Home's reviews enough to make a decision?

Sonning Gardens Care Home's public feedback assessment is useful, but it should not be the only reason to choose the home. Treat it as one evidence layer, then compare it with the inspection rating, safety and well-led domains, weekly fees, funding fit, and provider-record questions. Reviews are strongest when they confirm the same strengths or concerns that appear in inspection evidence and your visit questions.

Who operates Sonning Gardens Care Home?

Sonning Gardens Care Home is operated by WILLOWBROOK HEALTHCARE LIMITED (Company registration number: 06655208). Ownership type: independent.

Has Sonning Gardens Care Home had enforcement actions?

There are no current enforcement actions recorded against Sonning Gardens Care Home in the inspection history.

What do public company records show about Sonning Gardens Care Home's provider?

Sonning Gardens Care Home's provider public-record check is: Records reviewed. No material provider-record points to clarify were found in the public records reviewed. The company accounts record is dated 31 March 2025. This is not a credit rating, solvency assessment or prediction about the home.

What continuity questions should families ask Sonning Gardens Care Home?

Ask Sonning Gardens Care Home how care is kept consistent when staffing or residents' needs change, how families are informed about management changes, and what the contract says about notice periods and deposits. Discuss these points with the manager during your visit and ask for key commitments in writing.

What should I compare before choosing Sonning Gardens Care Home?

Before choosing Sonning Gardens Care Home, compare published inspection overall, Safe, and Well-Led ratings with their inspection history, family review volume and repeated themes, published weekly fees and what is included, funding routes accepted by the home, and the operator’s public company records. Compare these points with other care homes in Reading to find the best fit for your relative’s care needs, budget and visiting arrangements.

What is Sonning Gardens Care Home's food hygiene rating?

Sonning Gardens Care Home currently has a food hygiene hygiene rating of 5 out of 5. The food hygiene record is dated 28 January 2025.

What questions should I ask when visiting Sonning Gardens Care Home?

When visiting Sonning Gardens Care Home, start by asking the team to ask to see the latest inspection report and what has changed since it, ask how staffing levels work on day and night shifts, ask how families are updated when needs change, and ask who provides overnight clinical cover if nursing needs escalate. These questions help you test whether the public picture on this page still matches day-to-day reality inside the home.

What does our visit checklist include for Sonning Gardens Care Home?

Our visit checklist for Sonning Gardens Care Home starts with the basics families often miss: the latest inspection report, staffing levels across day and night shifts, how the team updates relatives when needs change, and how care plans are reviewed in practice. On RightCareHome, the page-level checklist is then extended with personalised follow-up questions based on the home’s inspection, review, provider-record and practical signals.

Care Home Check

Turn the findings into a plan for your visit

Care Home Check brings the findings on Sonning Gardens Care Home into a single decision summary, explains how they relate to your choice and gives you a practical plan for your visit.

Topics to take into your visit

  • How the home feels in the evening and at weekends
  • How quickly call bells are answered in practice
  • Whether staffing continuity feels stable on the floor

Use the report to discuss the evidence with your family and prepare for a more focused conversation with the home.

What you receive

  • What do provider records show?

    Understand the provider behind the home and the questions its public records raise.

  • What do review patterns actually suggest?

    Understand the themes in family feedback and how they fit with inspection findings.

  • What should you ask on your visit?

    Get the questions and the reason each one matters here.

A home-specific decision summary and practical questions for your visit

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