North West Sutherland Schools
North West Sutherland School
Primary
Across our campus, we are proud to have three primary schools—Durness Primary, Kinlochbervie Primary and Scourie Primary—each rooted in and serving its local community. Each school plays a vital role in supporting and nurturing the learning journey of the children in its care, reflecting the strengths, values and identity of the communities they represent.
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School Improvement Plan 2025/2026
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School Values
Across the primary schools we are currently in consultation about evaluating our school values and what they mean.
Show respect to each other
Achieving our best
Fun and learning go together
Everyone looks after our school
Durness Primary
Durness Primary School is a warm, welcoming one-class, one-teacher school situated in the historic village of Durness. As the heart of the local community, our school offers a close-knit, family feel where every child is known, valued, and supported to thrive.
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Our unique location provides an exceptional context for learning. Pupils make regular use of the dramatic surrounding landscape—land, coastline and sea—to enrich and deepen their experiences across the curriculum. Outdoor learning is purposeful and creative, helping children build curiosity, resilience and a strong connection to place. Through thoughtful use of our environment, pupils are encouraged to explore big ideas, ask questions, and dig deep into their learning in ways that feel meaningful and memorable.
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With excellent teaching and strong relationships at the centre of school life, Durness Primary nurtures confident, capable learners who are proud of their community and excited about the wider world.
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Durness School and ELC Handbook
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Kinlochbervie Primary
Kinlochbervie Primary School is a welcoming one-class, one-teacher school where every child is truly known as an individual. With a strong focus on nurture and wellbeing, we create a safe, caring environment in which children feel confident, included, and ready to learn.
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A key strength of Kinlochbervie Primary is the encouragement we give pupils to develop in the areas they most want to thrive in—whether that’s creativity, sport, leadership, outdoor learning, or specific curriculum interests. We promote independence, curiosity and resilience, helping children build a positive sense of themselves as learners.
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Located alongside Kinlochbervie High School, we benefit from shared resources that enrich children’s experiences and broaden opportunities. Pupils regularly access excellent facilities such as the gym and library, supporting health and wellbeing, a love of reading, and high aspirations from an early age. Strong relationships, personalised support, and a family feel sit at the heart of our school community.
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Scourie Primary
Scourie Primary School is a warm, welcoming two-teacher school at the heart of its community, offering a nurturing learning environment for children across two classes: an Early Years class and a Senior Primary class. With small class sizes and strong relationships at the centre of school life, every child is known, valued, and supported to thrive.
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Outdoor learning is a key feature of the Scourie experience. We make purposeful use of our local environment and outdoor spaces to spark curiosity, build resilience, and deepen learning across the curriculum. Our approach places a strong emphasis on developing the whole child—academically, socially and emotionally—within a safe, secure and caring setting where children feel confident to take risks, try new things, and be proud of their achievements.
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Working closely with families, we aim to create a positive and inclusive school culture where children are encouraged to be kind, independent, and ambitious learners—ready for the next stage of their journey.
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Scourie Primary and ELC Handbook
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Campus Day
Every Thursday, our three primary schools come together as North West Sutherland Schools in Kinlochbervie for a shared learning day that strengthens our 3–18 community in a meaningful and practical way. Pupils from Scourie, Durness and Kinlochbervie Primary travel in to learn alongside children at the same stage from across the campus, building friendships, confidence and a real sense of belonging to something bigger than their own school.
These Thursdays make full use of the high school facilities, giving primary pupils age-appropriate access to spaces and resources such as the gym, library and specialist learning areas. This not only enriches learning experiences, but also helps children feel comfortable and familiar with the high school environment long before they transition.
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Crucially, pupils learn with—and from—a wider team of staff. Meeting new teachers and working across different groups supports personal growth, resilience and independence, while also allowing staff to share expertise and ensure consistent expectations, language and routines across the campus.
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Above all, our Thursday model supports transition in the most powerful way possible: through relationships. By regularly spending time together, pupils develop trust, familiarity and confidence—reducing anxiety about moving to secondary, strengthening peer networks, and helping every child feel known and supported as they progress through North West Sutherland Schools as one connected community.
