Scientology’s private school in Sussex, which recently came under fire after the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) raised serious safeguarding concerns during a routine inspection, has had it’s visa-granting status revoked by UK Visas & Immigration.
Greenfields School, which charges fees of up to £32,850 ($43,419 USD) per year had previously been able to issue educational visas for students moving from abroad to study at the school. In a letter sent to parents and seen by Scientology Business, head teacher Andrew Hodgson explains “I regret to inform you that our ability to sponsor students has been withdrawn by UK Visas and Immigration. This means that we will no longer be able to sponsor students from overseas. Current sponsorship will end on July 31st 2024.”
“We are very sorry to be in this position, and understand if it causes difficulties for families. We would like to offer to assist in finding alternative arrangements so that students can complete their studies. One possibility is that a nearby school could continue to sponsor students.”
According to the a recent inspection report, Greenfields has a total of 176 pupils, of which 30 are boarders. An inside source close to the school tells us the loss of sponsor status means “they about to lose 30% of their students. This is a big enough financial blow where they could close down.”
This adds to growing pressure mounting on the school as the government prepares to introduce 20% VAT (sales tax) on private school fees from January, and an inspection by the ISI in March determined Greenfields did not meet the required standards relating to safeguarding, leadership and management and quality of education, training and recreation.
As reported by The Underground Bunker, “Greenfields, like so many other tentacles of the Church of Scientology, tells the press and public that it is independent and not part of the church. But its board of trustees is made up entirely of Scientologists, and the board is chaired by Peter Hodkin, Scientology’s most prominent UK lawyer”
Our source tells us Hodkin “definitely calls the shots” and “handles all legal issues for Greenfields pro-bono […] Part of the deal of Peter being the Church lawyer is that he always has to be moving on the Bridge. COB [David Miscavige] has gifted Peter expensive watches, but also his whole Bridge as thanks for the legal wins he has had. He has to continue moving on the Bridge to be the Church lawyer.”
Greenfields was founded in 1981 by his mother, Margaret Hodkin. A recent Greenfields promotional flier shared with Scientologists online explains “just over 40 years ago, LRH himself requested that Margaret Hodkin, a former captain of Saint Hill, start up Greenfields Independent Day and Boarding School so there could be a special place for Scientology kids to go and get an education and where the tech would be applied. 40 years later the school is still attended by her great-grandchildren and the legacy continues.”
This contrasts another piece of recent marketing which was posted on a public East Grinstead community Facebook group, which says “we are a secular school that celebrates having a multicultural environment.”
Greenfields is the only ‘Applied Scholastics’ school outside of the Americas. In 1994 one of its teachers, Mark Kent, admitted sexually molesting teenage pupils and was jailed for five years.
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