About Our School
The history of Our Lady's Primary School, Surrey Hills
Our Lady's Primary School, Surrey Hills, formerly known as Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Wattle Park is a school with a rich history. The land beneath the school was purchased by Father Timothy Fitzpatrck in 1952. It originally consisted of a large two storey house, a coach house and stable, and an acre and a half of land. In 1954, work was completed in converting the stable and coach into a church. That Christmas, mass was appropriately celebrated in a stable.
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In 1955, parishioners, who were mainly young married families, banded together and raised money to create a school. The banks were unwilling to offer a loan and the parish was only successful in raising £7000, an insufficient amount to hire professional builders. Instead the men of the parish banded together to build the school themselves. In the original structure of the school, all but the brickwork was completed by parishioners. This community spirit still drives the school today and our families are at the core of our decision making and school improvement processes.
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In 1957, the school was officially opened by Bishop Fox and the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The charism of our school is informed by both the example of Mother Cabrini and the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Redemptorist tradition of our founding parish. We seek to be a safe place where all are welcome and where our staff find shared purpose in healing and guiding children in our care toward a better future for all.
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Meet Our Leadership Team
Annie Engellenner - Principal
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Diploma of Education - Phillip Institute of Technology
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Graduate Diploma of Special Education - University of Melbourne
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Graduate Diploma of Religious Education - Australian Catholic University
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Master of Education - Student Wellbeing - University of Melbourne
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Hello and welcome!
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I am passionate about being both a teacher and a primary school principal. It is a true privilege to help children grow, learn, and discover their unique gifts each day.
Throughout my career, I have taught in three Catholic schools as well as in specialist settings within the government sector. These experiences have shaped my deep commitment to inclusive, high-quality education.
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I love learning and I bring that same passion to our school community. I believe kindness is at the heart of everything we do—it shapes how we teach, how we learn, and how we care for each other.
My vision is for our school to be a place of welcome, excellence, and inspiration, where every child feels safe, valued, and empowered to achieve their very best.
Clare Hicks - Deputy Principal, Learning Diversity Leader and Religious Education Leader
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Master of Education (Student Wellbeing) - Melbourne University
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Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Teaching - Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
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Diploma of Teaching - ACU
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Professional Certificate in Autism Spectrum Condition - Melbourne University
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Art of Contemplative Practice - Wellspring Centre Ashburton
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Graduate Certificate in Guiding Christian Meditation - Catholic Theological College, Melbourne
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I feel so grateful to work in a job that I love. I have been fortunate to teach across every year level, including working in an early childhood setting.
I have particularly been involved in leading meditation and contemplative prayer across primary schools with staff, students and families. I have a real passion for creating a learning community in which our faith intertwines and guides and nurtures us in everything we do.
My other passion is leading in the learning diversity field. I so enjoy getting to know the students and their unique personalities, strengths and challenges. I enjoy working in a team that works together to ensure that all students feel welcome and achieve success.
Brendan Hawke - Learning and Teaching Leader, E-Learning Leader and Performing Arts Specialist Teacher​​​​
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Master of Teaching - University of Melbourne
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Bachelor of Performing Arts (Music Theatre) - WAAPA - Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
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Graduate Certificate in Teaching Religious Education - Yarra Theological Union
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Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (Theatre Studies) - Australian National University
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Before teaching, I was an actor and musician and trained at WAAPA. I toured Australia with several theatre shows. As a voice actor, I recorded voices for cartoons, video games, advertising and other media. During that time, I also worked as a marketing co-ordinator, developing websites and digital newsletters and I have always been passionate about science and technology. I am a tech reviewer and have published over 30 reviews for technology products. I love to learn how things work.
I have been a teacher for the last 9 years. In that time I have taught in every grade level as a classroom teacher but spent the most time in 5/6 composite classrooms. I have also worked as a STEM specialist, Performing Arts Specialist, PE specialist and Japanese teacher across both state and Catholic education systems. I am passionate about learning and love to see children surprise themselves when they achieve something they thought was impossible.
As the Learning and Teaching Leader, I am responsible for staff professional development, assessment and data management and overall curriculum. I run a Mathematics Extension program and facilitate a range of academic competitions and challenges over the course of the year. As the E-Learning Leader, I maintain the technology across the school and support the procurement as well as the safe and effective use of technology. I love both roles and find they often overlap as technology is such a big part of modern teaching and society in general.
Nicky Dunne - Literacy Leader and 3/4 Classroom Teacher​​​​
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​Masters of Teaching - Australian Catholic University
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Master of Art and Design - Chelsea College of the Arts, London
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Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (Fine Art) - Wolverhampton University, London
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Diploma of Design - Newham College, London
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My passion for learning and teaching, literature and the arts, inspires my career as a dedicated classroom teacher and Literacy Leader. I felt privileged to join Our Lady's learning community in 2024 and relished the opportunity to contribute to its vibrant parish. Originally from London, I trained at ACU Melbourne as a Catholic teacher and leader over 10 years ago and this has supported and enriched my life in Melbourne. I have a 15-year-old daughter with whom I share my love of the arts and music, so each day I share my love of learning and literature with all the students, staff, and families at Our Lady's. W.B Yeats is often credited with saying "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." So here at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour we do not just teach, we inspire students to become life-long learners.
Katie Lynch - Mathematics Leader and 3/4 Classroom Teacher​​​​
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​Bachelor Of Education (Primary) Australian Catholic University
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My name is Katie Lynch and I am privileged to have worked at Our Lady’s Primary School since 2018. Prior to OLPS I worked at a Catholic Primary school where I taught students in Prep - Year 4. I was also the e-Learning Leader and supported the school as they introduced student devices and the Google Suite.
The students are consistently at the forefront of my mind as a teacher. I value their safety, wellbeing and education. They are the reason why I teach. In my teaching role I aim to provide a classroom setting that builds independent and intrinsically motivated learners.
As a school leader I work to support staff and students in Mathematics. I share current professional learning and provide opportunities for rich dialogue around the curriculum 2.0. I love working with students in supportive roles to help them build understanding and self efficacy as mathematics to take them beyond the four walls of the classroom.
I love our school. I love the community, learners, leaders and friends I have made. Teaching is so much more than a job, it is a vocation and one I continue to grow.
Jane James - Wellbeing Leader and Physical Education Specialist Teacher​​​​
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Diploma of Teaching Primary - Melbourne State College
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Graduate Diploma of Special Education - Melbourne University.
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Accredited Level 1 Youth Coach - Athletics Victoria.
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Accredited Bicycle Education Instructor - Transport Victoria.
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I have enjoyed working across systems, in Government and Catholic schools. I have taught in primary schools and special education settings, across all year levels Foundations to Exits - (18 year olds)
As Student Wellbeing Leader I focus on promoting students' social, emotional, and mental well-being, to support their learning and development. I do this by building positive relationships with all OLPS students, identifying and addressing student needs.
My passion is teaching Physical Education. I believe sport is truly a vehicle for developing a student's character strengths; courage, perseverance, honesty & perspective to name a few. Witnessing a student realise their capacity and ability is a special thing!
