Brookside Preschool, Gatley

THANK YOU TO OUR AMAZING BROCHURE SUPPORTERS

A huge thank you to all the local businesses, organisations and community groups who have supported Gatley Festival by advertising in this year’s brochure.

Their support plays a vital role in helping us bring Gatley Festival to the community each year and ensures we can continue creating a fantastic day for everyone to enjoy.

As an added bonus for Festival visitors, many of our advertisers have included exclusive discounts, special offers and promotions within the brochure, so make sure you take a look before you visit your favourite local businesses.

Please support the businesses that support Gatley Festival and help keep our local community thriving.

🏡 Shop Local
❤️ Support Local
🎉 Celebrate Local

Thank you for being part of Gatley Festival 2026.

We have a limited number of places available for the next academic year.

If you would like to register your child for a place, please complete an enquiry form via our website

https://www.brooksidepreschool.co.uk/contact-us

What an amazing day our preschool children had on their trip to Cockfields Farm!

The children were so excited for the journey, travelling together by coach ready for a day full of adventure!

We started our visit by looking at the owls and birds of prey before heading down to the duck pond, where we spotted ducks, geese and adorable baby goslings. The children were amazed to discover a huge egg too!

Next, we enjoyed a tractor ride around the farm. Along the way we saw sheep in the fields, and after spotting a black sheep, many of the children happily began singing “Baa Baa Black Sheep!”

After the tractor ride we made our way to the animal barn, passing the beautiful Highland cows on the way. One of the cows had even welcomed a baby calf the night before!

Inside the animal barn, the children had the opportunity to feed goats, kids, sheep, alpacas and piglets. We also got to stroke a tiny baby chick, which was a very special moment for everyone.

After washing our hands, we visited the petting shed where the children gently stroked rabbits and guinea pigs. They listened carefully to instructions and made sure to stay calm and quiet so the animals didn’t get frightened.

Our next stop was the reptile house! The children bravely stroked a corn snake and met a giant tortoise. There were lots of fascinating creatures to see including lizards, bearded dragons, tarantulas, snakes, rats and more!

We then headed inside for lunch where the children thoroughly enjoyed their picnics before exploring the outdoor play areas. The huge bouncy pillow was definitely a favourite!

To finish our fantastic day, the children made bird feeders using Cheerios before heading back to the coach for the journey home.

We are so proud of all the children for being so well behaved, inquisitive and caring throughout the day.

We had a brilliant day of fun, exploration and hands-on learning!

Thank you to Rosie, our host for the day, who was so kind and patient with the children.

🐝🌼 World Bee Day 🌼🐝

We’ve been celebrating World Bee Day this week through lots of fun, hands-on, multi-sensory activities!

Our children have been:
💛 Enjoying messy play in foam
💛 Exploring a jelly sensory tray
💛 Counting bees into beehives using tweezers to build fine motor skills
💛 Creating their own play dough bees
💛 Learning fascinating facts about bees
💛 Looking closely at real honeycomb and even tasting it
💛 Practising the famous bee dance
💛 Making bee-themed recipes in the mud kitchen
💛 Reading bee themed books

Did you know? 🐝
Bees are incredibly important because they help pollinate many of the fruits, vegetables, and flowers we need to survive. Around one third of the food we eat depends on pollinators like bees! Without them, our world would look very different.

Teaching children to care for and respect bees helps them develop an understanding of nature, kindness towards living things, and awareness of how we can protect our environment. Through play, exploration, and real-life experiences, children learn to appreciate the important role bees have in our ecosystem.

These activities support our children by encouraging:
🌼 Communication and language development
🌼 Fine motor skills and coordination
🌼 Curiosity and investigation
🌼 Understanding of the world
🌼 Sensory exploration
🌼 Imaginative play and creativity

What a wonderful week we’ve had learning, exploring, and creating together! 🐝

We have very limited availability for September starts - please contact us to register your interest for September 2026, or to add your child’s name to our waiting list for 2027 and beyond!

https://www.brooksidepreschool.co.uk/contact-us

https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/brookside-preschool

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We spent this afternoon at the allotment being very busy and enjoying lots of learning through play.

The children worked together on a variety of meaningful tasks. We built a wigwam frame for sweet peas and peas, carefully placing each stick and tying them together, and created sturdy supports for the tomatoes and broad beans. The children helped prepare the soil, digging, turning, and getting it ready before planting our young plants.

These activities supported both gross motor skills - through digging, lifting, and carrying - and fine motor skills, as the children handled tools, positioned plants, and poured water with care. Watering the plants sparked great conversations about why plants need water to grow, helping the children begin to understand responsibility and the basic needs of living things.

We also spent time exploring the wider allotment, observing what other plot holders are growing. It was wonderful to see the children recalling the names of different plants they recognised, including forget-me-nots, rhubarb, and bluebells. During our exploration, we rescued a bee that had become trapped under some netting, prompting gentle discussions about caring for living creatures. The children were excited to spot other insects too, including ladybirds and worms, deepening their interest in the natural world around them.

The children showed a growing awareness of why we care for our allotment. They are beginning to understand that with time, effort, and teamwork, we can grow our own food. Experiences like this help children build patience, confidence, and a sense of achievement.

For our children. the allotment is more than just a place to play - it’s a space to explore, learn, and connect with nature. It encourages curiosity, resilience, and an early appreciation for where our food comes from.