
Food is marvelous, care is top-notch. Can't really find any faults here!Mark H(Son-in-law of Resident/Service User)

I would more than recommend the home to everyone else.L C(Daughter of Resident/Service User)


Food is marvelous, care is top-notch. Can't really find any faults here!Mark H(Son-in-law of Resident/Service User)

I would more than recommend the home to everyone else.L C(Daughter of Resident/Service User)


Church Farm at Skylarks is a community of four houses for people living with dementia. Staff at Church Farm all have specialist dementia training. In total, Church Farm at Skylarks is home for 52 people, all of whom have their own ensuite and enclosed gardens.
Set in beautiful surroundings, adjacent to Skylarks Nature Reserve and next to an animal sanctuary, Church Farm has strong community links with the local area. Its...
Care Provided by Church Farm at Skylarks
Primary Care Categories
- Older Person Care
- Dementia
- Mental Health Condition
- Physical Disability
- Visual / Hearing Impairment
Length of Stay
- Permanent Care
- Respite Care
Care Types Provided
- Residential Care
- Nursing Care
- Dementia Residential Care
- Dementia Nursing Care
- For a maximum of 52 Service Users
Dementia Care TypesMild Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "mild dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Memory problems such as misplacing items and not be able to recall recent events (however, in some forms of dementia a person's memory may be unchanged)
- Difficulties thinking through problems and planning, making decisions
- Language and communication issues such as finding it difficult to recall the appropriate word in a conversation or following a conversation
- Poor orientation, getting lost in areas previously familiar to them
- Difficulty judging distances (more falls than usual)
- Changes in their normal mood including anxiety and depression
- In certain types of dementia, personality and behaviour changes may be present alongside or instead of issues with memory or concentration.
Moderate Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "moderate dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Worsened memory problems. Not always recognising own family members and friends. Repeating the same questions over and over again
- Worsened language and communication issues, forgetting what they are saying mid-sentence. Not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- More frequent confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Advanced Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "severe dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Severe memory problems. Not recognising family members and friends. Not being able to recall their own name
- Severe language and communication issues, not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- Severe confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Verbally or physically aggressive behaviour
If your loved one displays this type of behaviour you may need a care home that has specially trained staff. Verbal/physical aggression is often defined:
- Consistent shouting and screaming
- Verbal abuse
- Physical abuse
How we define Dementia Care Types
Mild Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "mild dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Memory problems such as misplacing items and not be able to recall recent events (however, in some forms of dementia a person's memory may be unchanged)
- Difficulties thinking through problems and planning, making decisions
- Language and communication issues such as finding it difficult to recall the appropriate word in a conversation or following a conversation
- Poor orientation, getting lost in areas previously familiar to them
- Difficulty judging distances (more falls than usual)
- Changes in their normal mood including anxiety and depression
- In certain types of dementia, personality and behaviour changes may be present alongside or instead of issues with memory or concentration.
Moderate Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "moderate dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Worsened memory problems. Not always recognising own family members and friends. Repeating the same questions over and over again
- Worsened language and communication issues, forgetting what they are saying mid-sentence. Not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- More frequent confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Advanced Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "severe dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Severe memory problems. Not recognising family members and friends. Not being able to recall their own name
- Severe language and communication issues, not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- Severe confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Verbally or physically aggressive behaviour
If your loved one displays this type of behaviour you may need a care home that has specially trained staff. Verbal/physical aggression is often defined:
- Consistent shouting and screaming
- Verbal abuse
- Physical abuse
How we define Dementia Care Types
- Mild Dementia
- Moderate Dementia
- Advanced/Complex Dementia
Other Care Provided
- Parkinson's Disease
- Stroke
- Palliative / End of Life Care
- COPD/Pulmonary Disease
- Bariatric Care/Obesity
- Convalescent Care
- Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)
- Day Care
Facilities
- Own Furniture if required
- Pet Friendly (or by arrangement)
- Smoking not permitted
- Close to Local shops
- Near Public Transport
- Minibus or other transport
- Lift
- Wheelchair Access
- Ground Floor Accommodation only
- Gardens
- Bar/Café
- Residents Kitchenette
- Phone Point in own room
- Television point in own room
- Residents Internet Access
Funding & Fees
Contact Church Farm at Skylarks to confirm what's included and get a personalised quote:
Funding Types Accepted
- Self-Funding (Private)
- Local Authority with Top-up
- Local Authority
- NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC)
Good to Know
Group / Owner
- Church Farm Care
- Private Owned
Person in charge
- Maria Spollin (Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Ages 65+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: Yes
- Year Purpose Built: 1976
- Last Refurbishment: 2021
- Number of floors: 1
Room Information
- Single Rooms (52)
- Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (52)
Parking
- There is plenty of free parking available on-site
Church Farm at Skylarks Reviews (48)
Church Farm at Skylarks has a Review Score of 8.9 (8.907) out of 10, based on 13 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Church Farm at Skylarks has 48 reviews.
My husband is settled and seems quite happy most of the time, his general care is good. The staff are nice and my husband's primary carer treats him well and seems to have a good understanding, my husband co-operates with him most of the time.
The staff at Church Farm at Skylarks continue to care for my father and his wife with the utmost sensitivity and kindness. When problems have arisen, they have been dealt with at the earliest opportunity and always appropriately. When I visit, I am always so impressed by the warmth of interactions between staff and residents.
I am happy with the care my husband gets. Staff are helpful and friendly. You are always made to feel welcome.
My mum has been in the home for almost 2 years. The home works really well considering they have residents with dementia at all stages and she has been treated with dignity and well looked after during that time. The staff are really friendly and try really hard to ensure the residents are happy. The lady who provides entertainment is fantastic at putting on lots of activities and getting most people to try something. Outings are well planned and lots of laughter had by all. A monthly trip to see a film is always appreciated by those who go. My father who's in a different home is taken to see the film and staff from both homes ensure they can sit together and hold hands.
My dad has been in your care since January 2015 and during all that time he has been cared for in a very professional and caring way. When dad was first admitted there were very trying and difficult times all of which have been overcome thanks to the excellent care provided. Type 3 dementia is a dreadful disease but every single resident is different and each and everyone has to be treated accordingly. My mum and I would just like to give a big thank you to all the carers at Church Farm, which has been a difficult time for all the family.
Dad says "they all like me here" which reflects how they talk to him, they are affectionate, humorous and accepting of the residents. The staff teams work well together to create a stable, happy, organised and efficient environment for their charges to live safely with support but also to exercise choice in as much of their life as possible.
No complaints, staff are friendly and helpful. My father seems very settled.
My mum has now been a resident at Skylarks for almost 3 years. We chose this home as it was very different from all the others we visited. Skylarks has a family feel. The decoration is bright and welcoming, and the focus is very much on the individual and their needs. We have found all of the carers to be kind, friendly and endlessly patient. They genuinely care about the residents and have good relationships with them. Although Skylarks is a long way from where we live, we would not want mum to be anywhere else.
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 25 November 2022Good
- CaringGood
- EffectiveGood
- ResponsiveGood
- SafeGood
- Well-ledGood
Inspection ratings
We rate most services according to how safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led they are, using four levels:
- Outstanding - The service is performing exceptionally well.
- Good - The service is performing well and meeting our expectations.
- Requires Improvement - The service isn't performing as well as it should and we have told the service how it must improve.
- Inadequate - The service is performing badly and we've taken action against the person or organisation that runs it.
- Not rated - we have not yet rated this area of the service, this is normally because the assessments we have carried out have been focused on other key questions.
Bed Vacancies
Please contact us for latest vacancies.
News (0) & Events (0)
There are no news items for Church Farm at Skylarks.
There are no upcoming events for Church Farm at Skylarks.
Awards / Recognitions (2)
- 17 Nov 2021Recipient: Church Farm at Skylarks
- 01 Apr 2018Recipient: Church Farm at Skylarks
Accreditations
There are no accreditations posted yet for Church Farm at Skylarks.
Meet the Team (3)

With a background in nursing and a deep passion for delivering truly person-centred care rooted in emotional connections, I'm proud to be a part of the Skylarks family as Home Manager. I hold a BSc in Dementia Studies and an MSc in Advanced Dementia Studies from the University of Bradford - qualifications that reflect my commitment to understanding and supporting people living with Dementia in the most compassionate and evidence-based way possible.
Before joining the team, I had the privilege of supporting a care service in its journey from "Requires Improvement" to achieving an "Outstanding" CQC rating in 2025. I've also managed multiple nursing home settings concurrently, always with a focus on building strong, supportive teams and nurturing meaningful connections with family members, relatives and staff.
Outside of work, I'm happiest in the garden with my two much-loved dogs, Benjamin and Montgomery, who keep me smiling and active. I find real joy in nature and in the simple things - whether it's tending to plants or sharing a refreshment and a story with someone.
I'm thrilled to be a part of the Church Farm family, where kindness, curiosity, and community are at the heart of everything we do. Where "People Matter".

Maria's early years were spent in Long Eaton, Northumberland, Leicestershire then Nottingham, primarily due to her Dad’s work in open-cast mining. Her Mum was a nurse and when they moved to Nottingham her parents ran a residential home which shared the same philosophy as the Church Farm approach today. This was Maria's introduction to the world of care, as she spent every weekend for 2 years working as a care assistant in the family 'home' until she began her nurse training after leaving school.
When qualified, Maria worked on a medical ward specialising in children’s and occasionally adult cardiothoracic surgery at Glenfield Hospital. During her 20-plus years there Maria did various specialist courses, including becoming a specialist in the most advanced form of life support available. Glenfield being the first of 5 centres in the UK to provide this level of support.
Since 1995 Maria has been involved with Church Farm through family links and attended a trip with some residents to Blackpool and also summer fetes and other social gatherings. Maria's previous experience helps her to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and to appreciate the need for privacy, dignity, and patience for everyone living in the home.
Away from work, Maria keeps busy with her family life. In her spare time, she likes to read a good crime novel.

Samantha works as House Leader overseeing all our Lounges.
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