Video

How Malvern College chose KAIZEN™ over the echo chamber

When 70% of your costs are people and fees cannot rise further, operational excellence is no longer optional.

In 2024, Malvern College faced a financial shock that most independent schools in England were unprepared for. The introduction of VAT on school fees, combined with a significant rise in National Insurance contributions, forced COO Rob Breare to ask a question the school had never had to ask in 165 years: how do we fundamentally change the way we operate?

His answer was unexpected. Rather than turn to the consultancies that typically serve the education sector, he called Kaizen Institute. In this interview, Rob speaks candidly with Francisco Salgado, Senior Director at Kaizen Institute UK, about what drove that decision, what it took to bring a centuries-old institution into a data-driven improvement programme and what he would tell any school leader considering the same path.

Malvern College

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Malvern College

Malvern College is a leading independent co-educational boarding and day school in Malvern, Worcestershire, England. Founded in 1865, it has remained on the same campus of some 250 acres on the lower slopes of the Malvern Hills, and welcomes students from across the world. Alongside its UK campus, the College has expanded into an international family of schools, with campuses in China, Egypt, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

“The real beauty of working with Kaizen is that if you eliminate the waste, you’ve genuinely got an opportunity to save money and improve quality at the same time.”

Rob Breare · COO, Malvern College Corporation & CEO, Malvern College International
Rob Breare

ABOUT THE guest

Rob Breare

Rob Breare serves as Chief Operating Officer of Malvern College and Chief Executive Officer of Malvern College International. An Oxford graduate with an early career in multinational organisations including Procter & Gamble and WPP, he brings extensive international leadership experience spanning Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. He now oversees the operational excellence and continued expansion of Malvern College’s global family of schools, ensuring consistent standards and a shared vision across its international network.
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