Ready for Secondary School
A free, expert-led workshop for young people with allergies and their parents
Because starting secondary school changes more than the timetable.
When it comes to allergy management, that means more than remembering their medication. It means learning to speak up, to self-assess and to navigate new spaces with confidence. That’s what this workshop is for. It is an Allergy UK event, hosted by The Allergy Team.
Practical preparation for you and your child.
Ready for Secondary is:
- An interactive, expert-led workshop in London
- For young people with allergies entering Year 7 this September or next year (current Years 5 and 6)
- For parents who want tools to support their child and to manage their own feelings about this new phase
11th July 2025
5-7pm, London
Feedback for last year’s event
★★★★★
I feel better prepared and more empowered.
★★★★★
Excellent session. I picked up so many valuable tips.
★★★★★
So friendly, informative and positive and not at all stressful!
What to expect
During the evening we will run two, informal sessions side-by-side, one for for young people in years 5 and 6 and the other for their parents or carers. This is a safe and informal space to ask questions.
Workshop for young people:
- Hands-on practice with adrenaline pens
- How to handle food situations and speak up about allergies confidently
- Reading and navigating food labels and allergy matrices
- A chance to meet other young people going through exactly the same thing
- Tools and support from experienced allergy nurses who ‘get it’
Workshop for parents/carers:
- Reassurance without sugar-coating
- Expert insight into school systems, staff roles and emergency responses
- Tools to support your child’s independence without hovering
- Confidence in knowing what’s helpful to say and when to say less
- Connection with other parents who truly understand how you might be feeling about this phase
This workshop is free!
Places and waitlist
In order for everyone to get the best out of the evening, we are limiting the number of places to 20 families (one young person and one adult per family).
Please apply using the button below and we will contact you to let you know if you have a place.
We urge you not to apply for a place unless you are sure you can come. If you we offer you a place but you don’t attend, another family will miss out.
Travel
This Allergy UK event is free. However, families will be expected to pay their own travel expenses to and from London.
If the cost of travel is a barrier to you attending, Allergy UK is offering a limited number of travel bursaries. The bursary can help cover reasonable travel expenses such as train, bus, or car travel. When you apply for a place, please let us know if you would be interested in a travel bursary.
This is a workshop that makes this new phase feel doable. Shared. Safe. Supported.
Allergy UK is pleased to offer this workshop free of charge but please consider donating to the Schools Allergy Fund, to help more schools receive expert support and training, to become safe and inclusive for pupils with allergies.
Who is running the workshops?
Allergy Nurse Consultant James Gardner and Clinical Nurse Specialist Katherine Knight will be running the session for the young people.
They have worked with hundreds of families both in the NHS and at private clinics. James is allergic to egg, so he’s able to share lots of his experiences and stories of how he’s managed his allergy in different situations.
Sarah Knight, Founder of The Allergy Team, will be running the session for parents and carers. Sarah has two children with food allergies (one at secondary school) and has worked with schools across the UK to make them safer and more inclusive for pupils with allergies.
James Gardner
Katherine Knight
Sarah Knight
Booking and final details
The session takes place from 5-7pm in London. The venue is in Shoreditch, very close to Liverpool Street Station.
We will provide snacks and drinks.
Once you have applied for your free place, we will confirm with you by email. We only have space for 20 families but we will add you to a waitlist if all spaces are taken by the time you apply.
If you are given a place, please let us know if you can’t attend as soon as you can, so we can offer your place to another family.