The School’s History

The school’s founders, Elizabeth (Betsy) Buchheister Shortell and Thomas Campion Shortell

Campion School was founded with a handful of children in May 1970 at 3 Levendi St, Kolonaki, by Mr and Mrs Thomas Campion Shortell, American philhellenes, who had been resident in Athens from May 1964. Their reason for founding the school was to enable the children of the Shortell family, and many other families in the Athens area, to have access to top quality English-language education at the secondary school level in order to prepare for universities in Europe and North America.

The fundamental interest of the founders was to create a school in Athens that would enable parents who lived in the Athens area to keep their families together and at the same time enjoy and appreciate the benefits of Greek life, culture and civilisation, past and present.

The school was incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is licensed by the Greek Ministry of Education. Initially, Campion offered the British GCE O Levels and A levels. In September 2002, following a decision by the school’s board of governors, the British A level programme was replaced by the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma programme.

Campion is named for Saint Edmund Campion (1541-1581) a noted educator at Oxford University and ancestor of the founder Thomas Campion Shortell.

The School's Timeline

1970

Campion’s doors open for the first time at 3 Levendi St, Kolonaki with a handful of children.

1970
1971

Owing to the school’s rapid growth, in September 1971 the school relocated to 22 Eslynn St, Ambelokipi until the end of the academic year.

1971
1972

Campion School finds a more long-term home in September of 1972 at 23 King Constantine Ave in Paleo Psychiko.

1972
1974

Campion’s Junior School is established in September 1974 at 12 Sismanoglou Street, Paleo Psychiko, under the directorship of L R Keremis.
In September 1974 Acropolis House, Kefalari opened as the school’s first boarding facility with 12 children.

1974
1975

The Junior School relocates to 2 Vassileos Constantinou Street, building C5 (better known as ‘The Palace’).
The boarding house moves to the Hotel Caterina in Kefalari.

1975
1976

The Nursery/Reception leaves C5 to open its own facility in building C3 in Paleo Psychiko, Headmistress H Paticas. Nursery/Reception will subsequently move to C11 to accommodate larger numbers and later to C6.

1976
1980

Senior School classes (8-13) consolidate in new premises in Ekali. Year 7 will eventually also be incorporated into the student body in Ekali.
Campion’s crèche opens in building C6 in Paleo Psychiko and will eventually split between Paleo Psychiko and the new school in Ekali.

1980
1981

Campion establishes a Junior School in Glyfada with D J Melville as Headmistress. J Carras will replace Ms Melville as Headmistress in 1984.
Campion’s boarding house moves to Palmyra Beach Hotel in Glyfada.

1981
1984

Campion establishes a Junior School in Halandri, D Nash Headmistress.

1984
1989

Campion’s boarding house moves to Pefki.

1989
2000

Campion consolidates all three schools (Ekali, Halandri, Glyfada) by relocating to its own purpose-built school in Pallini.

2000
2005

Campion builds the George David Sports Pavillon.

2005
Campion's Headmasters

1970-1973R L Forbes
1973-1980 (President from 1978-1980)RJO Myers OBE
1978-1980E S Carrick
1980-1982TBE Howarth
1982-1988A F Eggleston
1988-1990C D Juckes
1990-1991D McKinnen
1991-2020S W Atherton MBE
2020-2021D Rose
2021- M J Henderson

Junior School Headmistresses

Paleo Psychiko
1974-1980 L R Keremis
1980-1981D J Melville
Halandri
1985-2000D Nash
Glyfada
1981-1984D J Melville
1984-2000J Carras
Pallini
2000-2010D Atherton (Nash)
2010-2019J Whitehead
2019-J Korakaki