Steinerschule Bern Ittigen Langnau

What Steinerschule Bern Ittigen Langnau does

Steinerschule Bern Ittigen Langnau is a non-profit Steiner/Waldorf school association (Verein) operating three campuses across the Canton of Bern — Ittigenstrasse 31 in Ittigen (regional HQ, including the 500-seat Grosser Saal), Melchenbühlweg 14 in Bern (new Kinderhaus opened May 2025), and Schlossstrasse 6 in Langnau (Emmental). The school delivers a continuous K-12 Waldorf curriculum rooted in anthroposophical pedagogy and aligned to Lehrplan 21, ranging from playgroup (age 2.5) through kindergarten, Unterstufe (grades 1-3), Mittelstufe (grades 4-6), Oberstufe (grades 7-9), and the Integrative Mittelschule (IMS, grades 10-12), with multi-grade classes (Mehrstufenklassen), day school care (Tagesschule), remedial education and therapies (Förderangebot), and an organic cafeteria (Mensa, Fourchette verte – Ama terra certified) as supplementary offerings.

The organization is governed by a self-managed board (Vorstand) of 4-10 members with parental and teacher representation, and operates under the 'Wege zur Qualität' quality framework since 2009. It employs approximately 139 FTE across teaching, therapy, administration, kitchen, and facilities, supported by extensive parent volunteer labor. The operating model is structurally a non-profit breakeven: an annual budget of approximately CHF 8 million funded roughly 80% by income-based school fees (15% of net family income plus 0.6% of taxable assets, covering all children in a family under a single fee) and 20% by donations, legacies, interest-free loans, parent work contributions, and ancillary services.

Revenue diversification includes venue rentals (Grosser Saal Ittigen with 500 seats, Kleiner Saal Bern, Mensa, Turnhallen), the Treffpunkt Sonnenrad organic café and antiquarian bookstore, catering for external events, and a forthcoming Steiner-Methodik-Modul professional development program launching October 2026. The school is currently executing its largest capital project, the CHF 9.5M Impulsbau at Ittigen (approved June 2025, construction start April 2027), with CHF 4.75M targeted through loans, grants, and donations.

Name

Steinerschule Bern Ittigen Langnau

Legal name

Rudolf Steiner Schule Bern Ittigen Langnau

Website

https://steinerschule-bern.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Steinerschule Bern Ittigen Langnau is a non-profit Steiner/Waldorf school association operating three campuses in the Canton of Bern, delivering playgroup through grade 12 Waldorf education and the Integrative Mittelschule to families on an income-based fee model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Education (Waldorf/Steiner)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAJABAE

Waldorf/Steiner K–12 Schools

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Private & Independent K–12 Schools

SECONDARYEDACABAE

Waldorf/Steiner Preschools

Education/Early Childhood Education/Preschools & Pre-K Programs

SECONDARYEDACADAC

Waldorf/Steiner Early Childhood Programs

Education/Early Childhood Education/Early Learning Academies & Montessori/Reggio/Steiner Programs

Keywords

• Waldorf education
• Steiner pedagogy
• Private school
• Holistic education
• Day school childcare

Headquarters

HQ city

Ittigen

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Income-based school fees (Schulgeld): School fees are assessed annually based on each family's tax return. The fee equals 15% of net income plus 0.6% of taxable assets, with special rules for very low and very high incomes. A single family fee covers all children from one family attending the school. This is the primary revenue stream covering approximately 80% of annual operating costs of ~8 million CHF.
2. Day school fees (Tagesschule): Day school (Tagesschule) at Bern and Ittigen sites is charged on a modular, income-dependent basis for children from playgroup through grade 6.
3. Catering and canteen services: The Treffpunkt Sonnenrad cafe/antiquarian bookstore at Ittigen generates net proceeds used for school infrastructure. Catering services from the school canteen (Mensa) are also available for external events. The surplus supports special purchases or construction.
4. Space rentals: Rooms and facilities at Bern and Ittigen sites are rented out for events, concerts, lectures, and meetings. Key venue: Grosser Saal Ittigen with 500 seats. Revenue supports operational costs.
5. Donations, legacies, and interest-free/low-interest loans: The school relies on voluntary donations, legacies, and interest-free loans from its supporter network to cover the remaining ~20% of operating costs. An 'Aktion 100 x 100' initiative channels direct financial support to staff. The Impulsbau project is a major fundraising effort for campus redevelopment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Steinerschule Bern Ittigen Langnau delivers Waldorf/Steiner education from early childhood (playgroup from age 2.5) through secondary graduation (grade 12), operating three campuses in the Canton of Bern: Bern, Ittigen, and Langnau. The unified educational portfolio includes Kindergarten, primary (Unterstufe grades 1–3), middle (Mittelstufe grades 4–6), and upper school (Oberstufe grades 7–9), supplemented by the Integrative Mittelschule (IMS, grades 10–12), multi-grade classes (Mehrstufenklassen), remedial/therapeutic education (Förderangebot), full-day care (Tagesschule), and an organic cafeteria (Mensa). The school also rents event spaces and runs the Treffpunkt Sonnenrad café and antiquarian bookstore at the Ittigen site.

Product overview

Steinerschule Bern Ittigen Langnau is a Steiner/Waldorf school operating three campuses (Bern, Ittigen, Langnau) in Switzerland. The school offers a unified educational portfolio spanning early childhood (playgroup from age 2.5, kindergarten) through primary and secondary education ( Unterstufe grades 1-3, Mittelstufe grades 4-6, Oberstufe grades 7-9), plus the Integrative Mittelschule (IMS grades 10-12) at Ittigen. Supplementary programs include multi-grade classes (Mehrstufenklassen), remedial education and therapies (Förderangebot), day school care (Tagesschule), and cafeteria services (Mensa). The school is based on Waldorf/Steiner pedagogy rooted in anthroposophy and follows the Swiss Lehrplan 21 curriculum framework.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Integrative Mittelschule (IMS): A secondary education program offering grades 10-12 with holistic education, vocational internships, and various project-based learning including trips to Florence, guitar building, choir projects, and graduation theater.
• Treffpunkt Sonnenrad

Products and services

• Spielgruppe (Playgroup) Early childhood program for children from 2.5 years, providing a gentle introduction to school life through play-based activities at the Steiner/Waldorf school.
• Kindergarten Kindergarten program for children ages 4-6, focusing on holistic development through play, art, and movement following the Waldorf/Steiner pedagogy.
• Unterstufe (Lower School, Grades 1-3) Primary education for grades 1-3, providing a loving start to school life with emphasis on holistic development, creativity, and foundational academic skills following the Steiner/Waldorf approach.
• Mittelstufe (Middle School, Grades 4-6) Middle school program for grades 4-6, strengthening roots and discovering the world through age-appropriate learning and development in the Waldorf tradition.
• Oberstufe (Upper School, Grades 7-9) Upper school for grades 7-9, encouraging students to think independently, grow, and create through adolescent-appropriate Waldorf education including practical and artistic projects.
• Integrative Mittelschule (IMS) Integrated secondary school for grades 10-12 offering comprehensive general education with academic, artistic, and practical training, vocational internships, project-based learning (including Florence trips, guitar building, choir projects, graduation theater), and portfolio-based assessment. Located at the Ittigen campus.
• Mehrstufenklassen (Multi-Grade Classes) Multi-grade classes (M1/M2/M3) offering an alternative learning environment for students who benefit from smaller settings with consistent caregivers in mixed-age groups of up to 12 children.
• Förderangebot (Remedial Education and Therapies) Remedial education and therapeutic services including Heileurythmie (curative eurythmy) and therapeutic speech formation (Sprachgestaltung) for students with diverse learning needs.
• Tagesschule (Day School) Full-day care program for children from playgroup through grade 6 at the Bern and Ittigen locations, providing stable daily structure, security, and creative development opportunities; modular pricing (Modules 1, 2, 3 at Ittigen; Modules 1, 2, Mittagstisch at Bern).
• Mensa (Cafeteria) Catering service at the Bern and Ittigen locations providing healthy, balanced, seasonal meals prepared from organic and biodynamic ingredients, certified with the Fourchette verte Ama terra label; also available for external catering at events.
• Treffpunkt Sonnenrad (Café, Organic Shop and Antiquarian Bookstore) On-site café and biological products shop at the Ittigen campus offering organic food, ecological cleaning supplies, cosmetics, art cards, gifts, school supplies, and used books; operates as a community meeting point and a fundraising channel for school infrastructure.
• Room and Facility Rentals Rental of school spaces — Grosser Saal Ittigen (500 seats, renovated end of 2024/2025), Kleiner Saal Bern (85m², up to 60 seats), Mensa Bern (up to 90 seats), Turnhallen, and classrooms — to external organizers for concerts, theater, lectures, conferences, and cultural events; published rate cards available.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of Lehrplan 21 competencies achieved by end of grade 9; 100% by end of grade 12
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Stiftung Umwelteinsatz Schweiz (SUS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUS provides an trained site manager and an additional dry stone wall craftsman for the annual dry stone wall camp (Trockenmauerlager) for grade 9 students. The school supplies motivated students who learn to build dry stone walls intended to last 100+ years. This hands-on environmental work camp takes place in the Ticino (Alp Soladino, Maggiatal).
• House of HopeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Waldorf school in the Palestinian territories (Al-Eizariyah/Bethany near Jerusalem), founded by Manar Wahab and Milad Vosgueritchich. The school supports 70 children in two kindergarten groups and five school classes (grades 1–6). Steinerschule Bern hosts visits and sells handcrafted items at the Sonnenrad cafe to support House of Hope.
• NBCI (Annina Schmid & Jascha Ludin)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNBCI provides the Peacemaker training program, training selected students from grades 4–9 as peer mediators and peace builders. Implemented at Langnau site during a dedicated peace project week.
• Café-Laden-Buchhandlung Sonnenrad (internal initiative)minorOthersStarting 27 April 2026, the Sonnenrad cafe at the Ittigen site sells handcrafted wooden items to raise funds for House of Hope. Managed by Omer Allon.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Rudolf Steiner Schule Basel: Major Swiss Steiner school in the Basel region offering playgroup through Matura along Steiner/Waldorf lines. Comparable in pedagogical approach, age range, and non-profit association governance to the subject company.
• Rudolf Steiner Schule Zürich: Largest and longest-established Steiner school in Switzerland, operating multiple campuses across the Zurich area with the same Waldorf/Steiner pedagogy, K-12 pathway, and integrative secondary school structure. Direct competitor for Swiss families choosing Steiner education.
• Rudolf Steiner Schule Winterthur: Mid-sized Steiner school in the Winterthur region with K-12 Waldorf program, comparable in operational scale and pedagogical approach. Direct competitor for German-speaking Swiss families.
• Rudolf Steiner Schule Luzern: Central Swiss Steiner school offering the standard Waldorf curriculum from early childhood through secondary. Comparable in scale, program breadth, and non-profit association structure to Steinerschule Bern Ittigen Langnau.
• Rudolf Steiner Schule St. Gallen: Eastern Swiss Steiner school offering playgroup through secondary education with the same anthroposophical foundation. Comparable in scope, target demographic, and non-profit structure.
• Steinerschule Aargau: Steiner school in the Aargau canton north of Bern, serving a similar Swiss-German family demographic with comparable Waldorf pedagogy and K-12 program structure. Regional competitor for families in the Bern/Aargau corridor.

Regional players

• Rudolf Steiner Schule Biel/Bienne: Bilingual Steiner school in nearby Biel/Bienne, directly competing for families in the western Canton of Bern catchment area. Same Waldorf pedagogy, similar scale, but operates in a different canton.
• École Rudolf Steiner Lausanne: French-language Steiner school in the Lausanne area serving Suisse romande families. Same Waldorf pedagogy but serves a different language region and does not directly compete for the subject school's primary Canton of Bern catchment.
• École Steiner Genève: Geneva-based French-language Steiner school offering K-12 Waldorf education. Comparable in pedagogy and program structure but serves a distinct geographic and linguistic market from the subject school.

Broad incumbents

• Bern International School: Private international school in the Bern area offering K-12 education in English. Competes for the same expatriate and internationally-minded families in Canton of Bern but with a different pedagogical foundation (international curriculum vs. Steiner).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/rss_bernittigenlangnau
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rudolf-steiner-schule-bern

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Steinerschule Bern Ittigen Langnau