Our History
Our History
Greenfields School was founded on the 13th of July 1981 by educator Margaret Hodkin who, familiar with the benefits of Study Technology, wanted to establish a school that utilised this remarkable technology and encouraged a love of the arts and creativity in general. It started in a small vicarage in a village called Hammerwood, not far from its current location in Forest Row, to where it moved in 1983.
Our Beginnings
Beginning with just three classes, Infants, Juniors and Seniors, it has evolved over the years to become an outstanding school providing a real education for pupils ranging in age from 3 years to 18 years.
It has been a member of the Independent School’s Association for most of its history.
Word of its successful approach using Study Technology has been spreading; It is now expanding its facilities to meet the increased demand for its unique approach to learning.
Margaret Hodkin
The founder of Greenfields School, Margaret Hodkin (Neal), passed away on 1st May 2019.
In 1955 she was awarded an honours degree in English by Kings College, University of London and was offered the Inglis Studentship as the best student of her year; Margaret then taught and lectured in English at several schools and colleges.Â
In 1981, together with Mike Neal (who she later married), she purchased an old vicarage in Hammerwood, East Sussex and opened Greenfields School.Â
They started with 30 students; The numbers rose to 60 by the end of the first term and continued.
In 1982 she created the Greenfields Educational Trust registered charity, which took over the guardianship of the school when it moved to its present home in Forest Row in 1983.
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Margaret was a pioneer of Mr Hubbard’s Study Technology in education.
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Margaret’s Vision
Margaret’s vision was to use Study Technology in conjunction with a conventional United Kingdom academic curriculum to enable students to not only do well in examinations but also to apply, in life, what they had learnt. Â
They would have the tools to do anything they wanted with their lives.Â
And so it has proved, with students of her school going on to be leaders in many fields – including law, medicine, engineering, academics, business, entertainment and numerous others.
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Margaret later became an inspector of schools for the Independent School’s Association but continued teaching and tutoring and preparing them for GCSE examinations right up to the end of her life.Â
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But Margaret’s first love was the creative arts.Â
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She started the famous Greenfields Theatre Company, which produces shows every year in which all students in the school are involved – with scripting, directing, producing, acting, props and scenery, lighting, promotion and marketing, accounting etc. In the early days, Margaret personally supervised this activity for some years.
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The Greenfields Theatre Company continues to this day.