De Vrije Ruimte
De Vrije Ruimte is a non-profit democratic school in The Hague, Netherlands, offering self-directed primary and secondary education at VMBO-TL, HAVO, and VWO levels to around 60 students through sociocratic governance and Living Values Education.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersDen Haag, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What De Vrije Ruimte does
De Vrije Ruimte is a single-site democratic school in The Hague (Stadhouderslaan 15), operated by the non-profit foundation Stichting Natuurlijk Leren Scheveningen and founded in 2007. It serves roughly 60 students aged 4-18 across integrated primary (basisschool) and secondary (middelbare school) divisions, the latter preparing students for Dutch state examinations at VMBO-TL, HAVO, and VWO levels. Instruction is built on three self-reinforcing pillars: self-directed learning (children choose their own curriculum and pace), sociocratic governance (consent-based decision-making across weekly DVR-kring meetings that include students, parents, and guides), and Living Values Education (a 2.5-year cycle through twelve universal values such as peace, respect, responsibility, and freedom). The school employs approximately 30 staff, including nine guides/facilitators and a specialist in gifted education (hoogbegaafdheid), and operates ancillary assets such as the Crazy Butler organic-Fairtrade lunch restaurant on site.
De Vrije Ruimte firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- De Vrije Ruimte
- Legal name
- Stichting Natuurlijk Leren Scheveningen
- Website
- https://devrijeruimte.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- De Vrije Ruimte is a non-profit democratic school in The Hague, Netherlands, offering self-directed primary and secondary education at VMBO-TL, HAVO, and VWO levels to around 60 students through sociocratic governance and Living Values Education.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where De Vrije Ruimte is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Den Haag
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
De Vrije Ruimte business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Parent Contributions (Ouderbijdragen): Primary revenue stream from parental contributions for tuition and school services. The school is not (yet) government-funded but operates with a solid financial foundation primarily through parent fees.
- Occasional Subsidies: Incidental subsidies for innovative (educational) projects, suggesting episodic government or foundation grants for specific initiatives.
- Donations: Donations from Friends of DVR network and other supporters to realize projects.
- Friends of DVR: Stichting Friends of De Vrije Ruimte supports the school through fundraising and donations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Parent contribution-based funding model |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
De Vrije Ruimte product offering
Product offeringCore offering
De Vrije Ruimte is a democratic school providing self-directed primary education (ages 4-12) and secondary education at VMBO-TL, HAVO and VWO levels (ages 12-18), preparing students for Dutch state examinations. The school runs on sociocratic governance in which students, parents, and guides share decision-making through weekly consent-based circles, and delivers a Living Values Education program covering twelve universal values. An on-site organic, Fairtrade canteen (Crazy Butler) supplies daily meals, and the school meets Onderwijsinspectie standards without government bekostiging.
Product overview
De Vrije Ruimte is a single-location democratic school offering unified primary (basisschool) and secondary (middelbare school) education at VMBO-TL, HAVO and VWO levels. The school operates as one integrated educational offering based on self-directed learning, with supporting modules including the Living Values Education program (12 universal values), a sociocratic governance system (consent-based decision-making through various circles), and the Crazy Butler organic restaurant providing daily lunches. The school is not government-funded and operates through parent contributions, subsidies, and donations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Basisschool (Primary School)
Quantifiable outcome
- Students pass state exams at VMBO-TL, HAVO, and VWO levels
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use De Vrije Ruimte
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
De Vrije Ruimte technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
De Vrije Ruimte partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- EUDEC (European Democratic Education Community)coreDe Vrije Ruimte is an active member of EUDEC and co-organizes the 2024 EUDEC conference in the Netherlands. The school collaborates with other democratic schools including De Ruimte, DOE, DSA, and Sudbury Amersfoort for the annual event themed 'walking the talk - children's rights in education'.
- De Ruimte, DOE, DSA, Sudbury AmersfoortcoreDemocratic schools in the Netherlands collaborating to organize EUDEC 2024 in the Netherlands. These schools share knowledge and experience in democratic education and sociocratic decision-making.
- ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling)minorThe school has ANBI status (public benefit organization status in the Netherlands), which allows it to receive tax-deductible donations and indicates government recognition of its charitable educational purpose.
- Onderwijsinspectie (Dutch Education Inspectorate)coreThe school meets the requirements of the Dutch Education Inspectorate, indicating compliance with national educational standards despite not receiving government funding.
- Living Values Education / ALIVEcoreThe school is part of an international network of schools implementing Living Values Education, supported by UNICEF and UNESCO and promoted by ALIVE (Association for Living Values Education International).
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
De Vrije Ruimte competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- DOE (Democratisch Onderwijs) Nederland: Dutch umbrella/network organization for democratic schools; co-organized EUDEC 2024 with De Vrije Ruimte and represents the same philosophical and pedagogical movement within the Netherlands.
- De Ruimte (Soest): Dutch democratic/free school also participating in EUDEC 2024 alongside De Vrije Ruimte; shares the same sociocratic, self-directed learning philosophy and similar size/scale in the Netherlands.
- Democratic School Amsterdam (DSA): Amsterdam-based democratic school that partnered with De Vrije Ruimte for EUDEC 2024; operates on the same student-led, sociocratic model in the same Dutch market.
- Sands School: UK-based democratic free school (est. 1987) operating on the Summerhill tradition; comparable in offering K-12 self-directed education with student voice in governance, serving families seeking alternatives to mainstream schooling.
- Sudbury Valley School: Original Sudbury-model school in Massachusetts (est. 1968); its franchise of Sudbury schools globally (including Sudbury Amersfoort) shares De Vrije Ruimte's commitment to student autonomy and democratic meeting-based governance.
- Summerhill School: The original and most internationally recognized democratic free school (UK, est. 1921); shares the self-directed learning and student-governance model that De Vrije Ruimte implements, and is a philosophical benchmark in the EUDEC network.
- Sudbury Amersfoort: Sudbury-model democratic school in the Netherlands co-organizing EUDEC 2024 with De Vrije Ruimte; offers the same student-led governance and self-directed curriculum targeting a comparable Dutch parent segment.
Others
- ALIVE (Association for Living Values Education International): International network that promotes the Living Values Education program used at De Vrije Ruimte; a content/program peer that supplies the values-based curriculum framework underpinning the school's pedagogy.
- EUDEC (European Democratic Education Community): Pan-European association representing and connecting democratic schools; De Vrije Ruimte is an active member and co-host of EUDEC 2024, making EUDEC a primary ecosystem/network peer rather than a direct competitor.
Broad incumbents
- Kunskapsskolan: Swedish personalized-learning school operator with international presence; represents the broader, scaled-up 'alternative pedagogy within a structured school model' category that competes for the same value-oriented parent segment as De Vrije Ruimte.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
De Vrije Ruimte social profiles
Digital presenceDe Vrije Ruimte compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
De Vrije Ruimte financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
De Vrije Ruimte leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
De Vrije Ruimte funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
De Vrije Ruimte M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about De Vrije Ruimte
What does De Vrije Ruimte do?
De Vrije Ruimte is a democratic school providing self-directed primary education (ages 4-12) and secondary education at VMBO-TL, HAVO and VWO levels (ages 12-18), preparing students for Dutch state examinations. The school runs on sociocratic governance in which students, parents, and guides share decision-making through weekly consent-based circles, and delivers a Living Values Education program covering twelve universal values. An on-site organic, Fairtrade canteen (Crazy Butler) supplies daily meals, and the school meets Onderwijsinspectie standards without government bekostiging.
Is De Vrije Ruimte a public or private company?
De Vrije Ruimte is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was De Vrije Ruimte founded?
De Vrije Ruimte was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is De Vrije Ruimte based?
De Vrije Ruimte is headquartered in Den Haag, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does De Vrije Ruimte make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Parent Contributions (Ouderbijdragen) is the primary driver. The others are occasional Subsidies, donations and friends of DVR.
Who are De Vrije Ruimte's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are DOE (Democratisch Onderwijs) Nederland, De Ruimte (Soest), Democratic School Amsterdam (DSA), Sands School, Sudbury Valley School, Summerhill School and Sudbury Amersfoort. Others are ALIVE (Association for Living Values Education International) and EUDEC (European Democratic Education Community). Kunskapsskolan is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does De Vrije Ruimte have an API?
No public API is recorded for De Vrije Ruimte.