Schools Programme:

The McKinneys of Sentry Hill

Bring history alive for your pupils with a visit to Sentry Hill.

Sentry Hill is a 19th century farmhouse with a fascinating family history. It was the home of the McKinney family, who came to Ireland from Scotland in the early 1700s. Remarkably the contents of the house have survived almost intact. This is largely due to William Fee McKinney who was born in 1832 and lived at Sentry Hill for most of his life.

Designed for Key Stage 2 pupils, our schools workshop is an educational experience not to be missed. A visit combines a tour of Sentry Hill farmhouse with a ‘hands-on’ workshop focusing on Victorian costume and artifacts. Pupils are actively involved from start to finish, using primary evidence to investigate Sentry Hill and the McKinney family.

The workshop is complimented by our teachers’ resource pack which offers a wealth of activities for classroom use.

Sentry Hill Environmental Workshop

The Sentry Hill environmental workshop allows pupils to explore the Sentry Hill garden through a range of group activities. Tree measuring, mini beast hunts and leaf investigations are all used to introduce pupils to the natural world. Back in the education room pupils take part in arts and craft activities including leaf rubbings and artworks based on the natural world. Activity sheets and environmental case studies are used as a focus for group discussions. The environmental workshop can be adapted to suit either Key Stage 1 or 2 pupils.