With Scientology’s annual IAS gala just around the corner, Greenfields School has announced it will be providing childcare facilities and hosting a special halloween party while parents attend the Saint Hill event.
Greenfields, an independent school located 5 miles away from Scientology’s UK headquarters has historically denied its close ties to the controversial Church despite admitting to using founder L. Ron Hubbard’s ‘Study Technology’. Earlier this year, we reported it had lost a quarter of its students after its ability to sponsor UK study visas was revoked following concerns raised during a government inspection. It subsequently failed an inspection by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) which flagged serious safeguarding concerns, which were later addressed before a second inspection in late 2024.
The school was founded in 1981 by senior Scientologist Margaret Hodkin, whose son Peter now acts as the Church’s UK lawyer. As an independent school, it charges fees for tuition and boarding which run into the thousands of pounds, although it acts independently of the Church itself and has denied acting as a recruitment front for Scientology.
In 1994, a teacher working at the school was jailed for a string of child sex offences against boys studying at the school.
Now, the school is offering what it describes as “a fully set up child care facility” during Scientology’s annual gathering of its membership body, the International Association of Scientologists (IAS). The event is set to take place on the weekend of October 31st – 2nd November at the Church’s UK headquarters in nearby East Grinstead, and is often attended by Scientology celebrities such as Tom Cruise, Nancy Cartwright and Jenna Elfman.
According to a flyer distributed to Scientology parents, Greenfields’ childcare service is free of charge and is available for children as young as six months old. The school will also be hosting a halloween party featuring a costume competition, “trick & treat treasure hunt” and a “professional entertainer.”
As if the Scientology event itself wasn’t spooky enough….
3 responses
Does the 7 minute drive include the expected traffic congestion caused by a major unauthorised local event happening the same weekend? Good luck to the the professional entertainer keeping the kids attention until midnight.
7 minutes is optimistic even at the best of times. It’s more like a 10/12 minute drive… and with IAS event traffic disruption, I’d guess it may be more like 30/45 mins dependent on which direction you’re coming from
"This service … is provided by Saint Hill" – what the heck is this supposed to mean? Saint Hill is a location is not an organization.