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.
Campion’s doors open for the first time at 3 Levendi St, Kolonaki with a handful of children.
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.
Campion School finds a more long-term home in September of 1972 at 23 King Constantine Ave in Paleo Psychiko.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Campion establishes a Junior School in Halandri, D Nash Headmistress.
Campion’s boarding house moves to Pefki.
Campion consolidates all three schools (Ekali, Halandri, Glyfada) by relocating to its own purpose-built school in Pallini.
Campion builds the George David Sports Pavillon.
| 1970-1973 | R L Forbes |
| 1973-1980 (President from 1978-1980) | RJO Myers OBE |
| 1978-1980 | E S Carrick |
| 1980-1982 | TBE Howarth |
| 1982-1988 | A F Eggleston |
| 1988-1990 | C D Juckes |
| 1990-1991 | D McKinnen |
| 1991-2020 | S W Atherton MBE |
| 2020-2021 | D Rose |
| 2021- | M J Henderson |
| Paleo Psychiko | |
| 1974-1980 | L R Keremis |
| 1980-1981 | D J Melville |
| Halandri | |
| 1985-2000 | D Nash |
| Glyfada | |
| 1981-1984 | D J Melville |
| 1984-2000 | J Carras |
| Pallini | |
| 2000-2010 | D Atherton (Nash) |
| 2010-2019 | J Whitehead |
| 2019- | J Korakaki |
