Dr Ruth Wareham

• PhD Philosophy of Education, University of Birmingham, 2018
• PGCE Primary Education, National SCITT in Outstanding Primary Schools, University of Nottingham, 2005
• MPhil Philosophy, University of Birmingham, 2004
• BA (Hons) Philosophy, University of Birmingham, 2002

Dr Ruth Wareham is a Lecturer in Philosophy of Education who joined the Department for Education and Social Justice in September 2021. Prior to that, she was Education Campaigns Manager for Humanists UK, where she continues to work as an Education Policy Researcher.  

Ruth’s primary research interests sit at the intersection between religion and education and she previously worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow on the Faith Schooling: Principles and Policy project at the University of Warwick. She is the co-author of How to Regulate Faith Schools (2018) with Matthew Clayton (University Warwick), Andrew Mason (University Warwick), and Adam Swift (UCL).

Before entering academia, Ruth qualified as a primary school teacher and worked in schools across Birmingham and the West Midlands for six years.

Ruth is on the Editorial Board for the IMPACT pamphlet series and the Executive Committee of the Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain. She is a trustee of The Inclusive Education Trust (Accord). 

BA Education 

• Module Lead, Philosophy of Education (LC)
• Course Lecturer, Ethics in Education (LI)
• Course Lecturer, Equality & Diversity (LC)

Ruth’s research predominantly focuses on philosophical issues at the intersection between religion, belief, and education, including how such issues should be approached by policy-makers. Ruth also works as Education Policy Researcher for Humanists UK, where she has led on education policy since 2018.

Ruth is an Executive Committee Member and Annual Conference Organiser for the Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain. She was recently appointed to the Editorial Board of the IMPACT pamphlet series and is a trustee of the Inclusive Education Trust (Accord). 

Ruth regularly speaks on issues relating to religion and education in the media. Highlights include appearances on Sunday Morning Live on BBC One, Radio 4’s Beyond Belief and Sunday programmes, and Channel 5’s Jeremy Vine show. Ruth is also frequently quoted in national and local newspapers, as well as in the education press. Recent examples include Schools Week, TES, the i, the Guardian, and the Sunday Times.