The British School of Paris prides itself on providing a holistic education that not only imparts knowledge but also instils the values and character necessary to navigate life’s challenges. While we are always eager to celebrate the successes of our students, today we pause to honour the life and legacy of one of our longest-serving and most cherished members of staff, Helen Crompton, who sadly passed away on 7th February this year.
Helen embodied the very values we seek to instil in our students – resilience, empathy, determination, and individuality. A dedicated and inspiring Geography teacher, she was not only an outstanding classroom practitioner but also a supportive coach and a much-loved colleague. The news of her passing was met with an outpouring of tributes from former students and colleagues, with social media flooded with heartfelt messages reflecting the profound impact she had on so many lives.
Helen’s vibrant personality and warmth touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing her. This was evident in the vast number of people who travelled from far and wide to attend her funeral and celebrate the remarkable woman she was.
We extend our deepest sympathies to her beloved daughter, Stephanie – whom many of us at the BSP had the pleasure of teaching – Helen’s brothers, Richard and Adrien, as well as her extended family and friends.
For over 37 years, Helen’s smile and infectious sense of fun brought light and joy to the BSP community. She will be deeply missed but forever remembered.
Head of Humanities
The activities and interests we have can have a deep impact upon our lives. Helen Crompton coached hockey for most of her time at the BSP. She first coached with Muriel Langle, then with me, and later with Mrs Roberts. We definitely witnessed the care and kindness she showed, both to us and to students.
I met an ex-student, Katie Bell (2006–11), at an alumni event in London at the end of last year. Katie was, and is, a passionate hockey player, and much of that passion was instilled by Helen. We spoke for a long time about Helen – how her enthusiasm and dedication had such an important impact on Katie and other players.
Katie went on to captain her university team, met her husband through hockey, and still plays today. Katie’s life was profoundly shaped by an inspiring and caring teacher who will be fondly remembered by students, staff, and parents.
Head of Community and Service
Helen arrived at the school September 1983 fresh from three enjoyable years teaching in the Bahamas. She quickly integrated into teaching Sports and Geography.
In November 1995 Princess Diana visited the BSP and of course we were instructed to wear appropriate smart clothing – Helen chose a fetching tartan skirt but it just so happened that it was in exactly the same tartan as the suit Princess Diana wore that day. Guess who wasn’t introduced to Diana that day? Helen had newly purchased her skirt from Monoprix ( I very much doubt that Princess Diana got her suit from the same source!)
Helen was wonderful to take on school outings. She could give a sharp, high pitched, raucous whistle that travelled for all to hear. And so on Etretat pebble beach against the backdrop of crashing waves and the loud backwash of pebbles clattering back to sea I asked Helen to whistle for a group session. They quickly arrived wearing hard hats and carrying various bits of equipment – but so did every other person on the beach wondering what on earth was going on.
Normally Helen was quite strict about paying attention when listening to instructions on field trips. So, it was strange to find her year 10’s distracted, gesticulating and smirking during one such session until we turned round to find two copulating dogs giving a much more interesting demonstration than our field work instructions.
Then there were quieter moments. A Year 10 field trip to the Atlas mountains to collect data for coursework. Evening sessions were spent at the kasbah using candlelight and flip charts with Helen going round making sure that everyone completed the day’s work before we all went up to the rooftop to wonder at the display of the Milky Way.
Finally Helen was simply a great colleague and wonderful friend. We supported each other in developing new courses and Helen was always willing to embrace new ideas and technologies – a trait she continued after retiring from the BSP. Helen’s popularity was such that a large number of past and present BSP staff were present to say goodbye to a dear friend – some having travelled from the UK and Switzerland to say their final goodbyes despite the midterm holiday. Helen is gone but not forgotten.
Former Head of Geography
