De Vuurvogel

What De Vuurvogel does

De Vuurvogel is a Dutch Waldorf/Steiner primary school (vrijeschool basisschool) operated by Stichting Vrijeschool De Vuurvogel Driebergen, a non-profit foundation founded in 1976 and based in Driebergen-Rijsenburg, Utrechtse Heuvelrug municipality. The school serves approximately 300 students aged 4–12 across kindergarten (groep 1–2) and classes 1–6 (groep 3–8), delivering education through period-based main lessons, arts-integrated vaklessen (eurythmy, music, handwork, gardening, English, gym), and year-round seasonal festivals (jaarfeesten). Instruction runs across two campuses: the main Faunalaan 250 site and a dependance at Jagerspad 7.

The school's technology footprint is minimal and deliberately non-commercial. Its public website is built with Hugo (static site generator) hosted via Usecue CMS, with no cookies, tracking, third-party analytics, or proprietary educational technology platform. Social Schools serves as the primary parent-school communication channel for bulletins, class updates, and the weekly weekbericht. Childcare continuity is delivered through a core partnership with Kinderopvang De Geheime Tuin, which provides KDV (0–4 years) and BSO (4–12 years, branded BSO De Vuurvogel) aligned with the school's vrijeschool pedagogy.

Revenue is generated through two streams: Dutch government per-student funding under the Wet op het primair onderwijs, and voluntary income-sensitive parent contributions (ouderbijdrage) of €250–€500 per child per school year that fund vrijeschool-specific activities not covered by government funding. Go-to-market is community-led: open house mornings (inloopochtenden), a Friday-morning Schenkerij/Ouderbieb community event, word-of-mouth, and a shared Driebergen-wide kindergarten enrollment procedure with a lottery for oversubscribed classes. Older children enter via a structured six-step zij-instroom evaluation. Governance combines a parent-staff board with an independent Raad van Toezicht, and there is no venture capital, private equity, or external investor involvement.

Name

De Vuurvogel

Legal name

Stichting Vrijeschool De Vuurvogel Driebergen

Website

https://devuurvogeldriebergen.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

De Vuurvogel is a non-profit Waldorf/Steiner primary school in Driebergen-Rijsenburg, Netherlands, serving about 300 students aged 4–12 across two campuses via period-based teaching, arts-integrated vaklessen, and seasonal festivals, funded by Dutch government per-student allocations and voluntary parent contributions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Primary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Waldorf/Steiner K–12 Schools (EDAJABAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Waldorf/Steiner Early Childhood Programs (EDACADAC)

Keywords

• Waldorf primary education
• Steiner education services
• Vrijeschool pedagogy
• Elementary education programs
• Holistic child development

Headquarters

HQ city

Driebergen-Rijsenburg

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Government primary education funding: As a recognised primary school (basisschool) in the Netherlands, De Vuurvogel receives government funding per student under the Dutch primary education system (Wet op het primair onderwijs). This is the primary funding source for the school's core educational operations.
2. Voluntary parent contribution (ouderbijdrage): A voluntary parent contribution of between €250 and €500 per child per school year (2024-2025) funds the distinctive vrijeschool activities not fully covered by government funding. These include choir, theatre, music, eurythmy, year festivals, visual arts, and related materials and support. Payment is flexible: parents determine their own contribution amount based on financial capacity and can pay in one lump sum or in installments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

De Vuurvogel operates a Waldorf/Steiner-inspired Dutch primary school (vrijeschool basisschool) for children aged 4-12 (kindergarten groep 1-2 through class 6 groep 8), serving approximately 300 students across two campuses in Driebergen-Rijsenburg. The school delivers period-based main lessons (periodeonderwijs) lasting 3-4 weeks on a single theme, complemented by specialist subject lessons (vaklessen) including eurythmy, music, handwork, crafts, and gardening, along with seasonal festivals (jaarfeesten). The offering is structured around parent involvement, arts-integrated learning, and a no-tracking, community-driven enrollment model.

Product overview

De Vuurvogel is a Waldorf/Steiner elementary school (vrijeschool) in Driebergen with approximately 300 students, founded in 1976. The school offers a holistic educational program combining Periodeonderwijs (main lesson blocks) with Vaklessen (specialist subject lessons), Jaarfeesten (seasonal festivals), and childcare services. Core educational offerings span Kleuterklas (kindergarten, groep 1-2) through Klasse 1-6 (groep 3-8). The school provides supplementary services including a school library (Schenkerij en Ouderbieb) and parent choir, all supported by the Social Schools communication platform for parent-teacher interaction. Childcare (KDV and BSO) is delivered through partnership with Kinderopvang De Geheime Tuin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vrijeschool Onderwijs (Basisonderwijs) Core elementary education following the Waldorf/Steiner educational philosophy, serving approximately 300 students from kindergarten (groep 1-2) through class 6 (groep 8). Combines a holistic approach with contemporary implementation.
• Kleuterklas (Groep 1)

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Kinderopvang De Geheime TuincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDe Vuurvogel works closely with Kinderopvang De Geheime Tuin, which provides daycare (KDV Driebergen, for children 0–4 years) and before/after-school care (BSO Driebergen/BSO De Vuurvogel, for children 4–12 years). The partnership is designed to provide seamless childcare continuity aligned with the vrijeschool's unique atmosphere and vision. While the school advocates for placement, it cannot guarantee availability.
• Social SchoolscoreTechnology or IntegrationSocial Schools is the primary digital communication platform used by De Vuurvogel for parent-school communication. It handles weekly bulletins, class updates, parent help requests, and the weekbericht. Used by parents via browser and mobile app.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Others

• Social Schools: Primary communication platform for parent-school interaction at De Vuurvogel. Comparable as a Dutch EdTech infrastructure provider serving primary schools with messaging, weekly bulletins, and parent engagement tooling.
• Kinderopvang De Geheime Tuin: Explicit strategic childcare partner providing KDV (0-4 years) and BSO (4-12 years) services aligned with the school's vrijeschool vision. Located in the same Driebergen-Rijsenburg community and serving the same families through a co-located care model.

Direct peers

• Public basisscholen in Driebergen-Rijsenburg: Other primary schools in Driebergen share the same kindergarten enrollment procedure and lottery system mentioned in De Vuurvogel's GTM motion, directly competing for the same families in the local Utrechtse Heuvelrug catchment area.
• Other Vrijescholen in the Netherlands: The national network of Dutch Waldorf/Steiner primary schools offers the closest direct comparison, sharing the same vrijeschool pedagogy, target market (alternative-education-seeking families), and operational structure (non-profit foundations, government funding plus voluntary contributions).
• Dutch Montessori primary schools: Comparable alternative-pedagogy primary schools targeting similar families seeking non-traditional education. Montessori is the closest peer in alternative education for Dutch families and competes for the same parent segment considering vrijeschool or other alternative pedagogies.

Emerging players

• Dutch Jenaplan primary schools: Comparable alternative-pedagogy primary schools with similar parent-engagement model and progressive education approach. Jenaplan schools emphasize community and child-led learning, intersecting with the vrijeschool's parent-involvement emphasis.
• Dutch Dalton primary schools: Comparable alternative-pedagogy primary schools with overlapping target market of families seeking non-traditional education in the Netherlands. Dalton schools offer a different pedagogical approach but compete for the same alternative-education segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/de-vuurvogel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about De Vuurvogel