Hungary: Close to the capital city, Budapest, Fót Waldorf School is situated within the territory of the Károlyi castle (built around 1830) and its beautiful park. Founded in 1996, as the new branch of a previously created Waldorf school, the school has developed to a size of 400 children in 13 classes and two kindergarten groups.

Children from a wide variety of social backgrounds attend the school and parents pay contributions according to their circumstances. The kindergarten and the school are operated by an association created for this very reason. Thanks to the cooperation of the families and cautious economical leadership, the financial basis of the institution is quite stable.

The greatest powers of the institution naturally lie in the community that keeps parents, teachers and students together. Its spirit can be observed in the school’s celebrations and events. A moment that vividly characterises the school community is the so called “solo-night” which takes place every year. On this occasion, each student of class 11 performs a song usually popular amongst teenagers. The students rehearse for weeks and they themselves accompany each other on their musical instruments. Parents, friends, former classmates, teachers, and even other Waldorf school students attend this fun event, which is supported by professional sound-system and lighting.

In the future the school wants to expand to accommodate the increasing demand for Waldorf education. To achieve its long-term goals, the school needs to make investments that go beyond the capabilities of the school community. Therefore, the school is looking for external support. Moreover, Fót Waldorf School is seeking for partnerships with other schools and institutions abroad for student exchanges, as well as pedagogical cooperation.