It is an honour and privilege to be the Headmaster of a school I love and know so well.
It was here, as a student at Melbourne Grammar School, I came to understand the value of excellence in all pursuits. I saw the importance of seizing each new opportunity from the breadth of those offered here. I also developed friendships I still treasure today.
There is no doubt that Melbourne Grammar is one of Australia’s leading schools and our VCE results sit comfortably among the best each year. However, if you look beyond the name and its reputation, you will find a school full of curious, kind and creative people and it is this of which I am most proud.
Melbourne Grammar fosters a culture of warmth, inclusivity and respect. Our School community brings together day students and boarders from across Australia, including those from rural areas and Indigenous communities, along with students from overseas. This diversity of backgrounds and experiences is core to our strength as a school.
I am sometimes asked about the merits of coeducational and single-sex education. My career as an educator has shown me that it is vital to choose an environment that suits the individual needs of each student. I know my experience of coeducation at primary level and single-sex secondary schooling at Melbourne Grammar was the right one for me, shaping the person I am today.
Melbourne Grammar has offered an exceptional educational experience to students for more than 162 years and this tradition continues today. In addition to academic excellence, we want all students to develop strong moral values, and a contemporary understanding of the relationship between leadership and service. We want them to appreciate that gratitude must accompany privilege. And we want them to graduate well prepared to make a positive difference in the life that lies ahead of them.
Philip Grutzner Headmaster
Mr Philip Grutzner (OM 1981) BForSci DipEd MBA FACE commenced as the 15th Headmaster of Melbourne Grammar School in 2020. He is the first Old Melburnian to return as Headmaster in our School’s history.
Mr Grutzner’s experience includes roles as Headmaster of Braemar College in Woodend, Victoria, Headmaster of St Peter’s College in Adelaide and Principal of Carey Baptist Grammar School, where he oversaw a significant programme of innovation and development.
Mr Grutzner is a Board Member of Independent Schools Victoria and the Independent Schools Council of Australia and is Chairman of the G30 Schools Group.