Ruby Juanita Brooks

Ruby Juanita Brooks is a Senior Lecturer in Education & Early Childhood at Manchester Metropolitan University (School of Education), joining in 2021. She holds a PhD from the University of Derby (2021) on 'Femininity, Class & Status: The societal devaluation of the female early years workforce,' exploring how language and status shape professional identities. Her research focuses on gossip as a form of power in working-class, women-dominated spaces, drawing on Bourdieu's theoretical framework. She also holds a PGCertLTHE and MA Psychology & Education (Distinction, Sheffield) and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). Prior to academia, she worked for seven years as an early childhood practitioner and Forest School Leader.

Research interests include gender dynamics, social stratification in education, and policy analysis. Recent publications address Ofsted's cultural capital frameworks in early years inspections (2024), post-Brexit UK-Europe higher education collaborations (2023), and systemic devaluation of early years educators (2023).

• Awards: Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
• Professional Background: Early childhood practitioner, Forest School Leadership qualification