Holmwood, the blessed school on the hill, is located in Sedburgh, North-east Manchester, on the Island of Jamaica. It was established as Jamaica's first vocational school in February, 1936, headed by Mr. Edgar B. Rogers, the first Superintendent. It was then a vocational/trade school with an enrolment of fifty male students. Students were exposed to several disciplines such as - Woodwork, Bookkeeping, Shoemaking, Tailoring, Auto Mechanics, Building Construction and Carpentry, with the main focus being Agriculture.

During this time, the students made all the furniture to supply the various departments within the school, as well as other government schools across the Island. Because of the agricultural emphasis, the school owned a farm known as Denham Farm in Chudleigh. The agricultural bias allowed the institution, along with two others (Knockalva Training Centre and Dinthill Practical Centre) to serve as a feeder schools to the then Jamaica School of Agriculture.