Katherine Weare studied English and American Literature at the University of Kent. She taught English and Drama for 5 years in London Secondary schools, while studying for an academic diploma in Psychology and Sociology, and for a Masters’ degree, at Goldsmiths College and at the Institute of Education in London. In 1976 she moved into higher education and taught a range of subjects, including health education. In 1980 she moved to the University of Southampton, she now works as where Professor of Education. She has during her time there played most of the major roles in the department, including a spell as Head of School, and as coordinators of Advanced Courses and of the PGCE.

Her interests are in the mental, emotional and social health and wellbeing of children and young people. Her recent publications include 'Promoting Mental, Emotional and Social Health: A Whole School Approach' (Routledge), 'Developing the Emotionally Literate School' (Sage) and a report to the DfES on 'What Works in Promoting Children's Emotional and Social Competence'. She has helped various national and international agencies to develop their educational and mental health services, including working for the EU to develop work to prevent anxiety and depression in young people, for the WHO in Eastern and Central Europe and Russia to develop their schools to be more effective and promote health and well being more effectively, and most recently for the Scottish Executive and the DfES. She is a member of the board of Intercamhs, the International Alliance for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Schools.