In the various league tables published by the media, our 2024 VCE results placed us in the top ten independent schools across the State. This was a tremendous result and one well worth celebrating. Three students achieved perfect ATARs of 99.95, 14% of our students were ranked in the top 1% of the State, and 55% were in the top 10%.
These statistics are certainly impressive. But what is also notable are the people behind the numbers. Our 2024 VCE results are a reflection of a broader community effort: the many parents who made sacrifices to give their children the best educational opportunities they could, teachers who went above and beyond to support student learning and growth, and our professional staff who contributed behind the scenes across a myriad of roles.
Then, of course, there are our students. Most of them worked with great determination, unashamedly pursuing excellence and setting themselves up for success in life beyond school.
Irrespective of their result, there are many stories of courage, strength and personal achievement across the 2024 Year 12 cohort. They all experienced disrupted learning during the COVID years, some navigated complex family or personal circumstances, and others battled illnesses, learning difficulties or exam anxiety.
Many of them worked in close partnership with the School and their own families to overcome the hurdles they were facing to achieve their personal best. Their achievements are not defined by a number but by their growth, effort, and resilience.
But why be content with being placed in the top ten schools some might ask. Why not aim even higher? Why not strive for a place in the top five—or to become the number one school in the State? That is indeed an option. We could strip back our broader educational offering and focus solely on test performance. We could redesign our teaching to become almost exclusively about exam preparation.
We could abandon our participation in APS sport, close our music and performing arts programs, cancel outdoor education, and cease student participation in clubs, societies, trips and exchanges. We could tell our students that community service no longer matters, because it doesn’t contribute to ATAR results. We could even ask students who are struggling to leave before Year 12, to keep our numbers high.
But none of this aligns with the Melbourne Grammar School we know and value.
To suggest such a path is to misunderstand our core goal. While the pursuit of excellence is central to the School’s mission, we believe deeply in a balanced education, one that places holistic development at the centre of everything we do. It is this balance that builds the foundation for a life of purpose, fulfilment and contribution beyond school.
A holistic education builds gratitude – to appreciate that we live in a country where good schooling is accessible, and to recognise that the opportunities offered at Melbourne Grammar are rare and valuable.
It also enables perspective. Academic excellence will always be a cornerstone of a Melbourne Grammar education. Almost all our students complete Year 12, and 98% pursue tertiary study. But the co-curricular program and the day-to-day business of the School plays an equally vital role, helping students build perseverance, teamwork, and confidence through sport, drama, music, outdoor education and service. These experiences teach humility in defeat, strength in adversity, and the joy of shared success.
Classroom discussions, formal debates and everyday conversations open students to new ideas and ways of thinking, and stepping outside the School gates on excursions, international trips and expeditions challenge students to reflect on views and cultures other than their own.
Finally, it reminds us of the importance of the whole person. Our students grow through collaboration, physical effort, leadership and creativity, qualities forged far beyond the exam room.
The ATAR is one important aspect of a Melbourne Grammar education. But it is far from the only one.
Philip Grutzner
Headmaster
