Moons Class is one of our Early Years Foundation Stage Classes, also known as Reception. Here, we begin the learning journey that your child will enjoy for many years to come.

I am Miss O'Dea, and I am delighted to be the class teacher for Moons Class. I have a real passion for art and creativity and love bringing this into the classroom to inspire and engage children's learning. I particularly enjoy creating displays, collaborative artwork and exciting learning experiences that bring children's ideas to life. This passion also shines through at home with my own daughter. 

Within our TLC curriculum, we focus on sustainability and caring for all living things; something I feel very strongly about. I have a particular interest in bees and the vital role they play in our world, and I love sharing this enthusiasm with the children. I believe that Early Years is a wonderful time for children to explore, wonder, create and ask questions, and I aim to nurture this every day.

Supporting me in Moons Class is our wonderful Teaching Assistants, Mrs Kent and Mrs Writer. Mrs Kent has a real love for walking and this enthusiasm shines through when Moons Class take part in the Daily Mile, where she encourages the children to be active, healthy and motivated.

We are also very lucky to have Mrs Writer working alongside us in Moons Class. Mrs Writer shares many of my passions, particularly her love of the outdoors, early reading and creativity. She brings so much enthusiasm to our classroom and is passionate about giving children opportunities to explore the world around them, develop a love of books and express themselves creatively. I feel very fortunate to have such a wonderful team working alongside me to support and nurture the children in Moons Class.

Together, we work closely with our parallel class, Suns, providing the children with a safe, secure and happy start to school. We encourage the children to become fantastic learners through using our 5Cs and by becoming as independent as possible.

Your child's Reception year is the final part of their journey through the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. I aim to help prepare each child for future learning and successes by providing experiences that are active, fun and meaningful, while supporting their individual development, care and learning needs. It is always wonderful to see the enormous changes and development that take place during Reception and to watch the children confidently move on to the next chapter of their school adventure.

Outside of school, I enjoy going on adventures with my daughter. Together, we love exploring, discovering new things, getting creative and, of course, getting a little bit messy! I hope to bring this same sense of adventure and curiosity into our classroom, encouraging every child to explore, wonder and enjoy their learning.

In Moons Class, I believe every child has the potential to shoot for the moon and far beyond during their Hillcrest journey. I cannot wait to see where their curiosity, creativity and imagination take them!

Tapestry has become such a valuable part of our EYFS journey. It beautifully captures whole class learning experiences, from PE and cooking to special visitors and trips, as well as small group activities like painting, language games and science exploration. We also love celebrating individual ‘wow’ moments, including reading, merit certificates and other personal achievements.

Tapestry has strengthened our home-school links, by giving children and families a wonderful window into their child's school day, often helping children reflect proudly on what they’ve done and achieved. It also gives parents a special platform so they can share special moments from home; making learning feel truly shared and celebrated.