An interactive mystery-based learning model aims to improve allergy understanding among students during the critical transition to high school.
In a bid to improve allergy literacy and reduce the risk of severe allergic reactions in schools, the National Allergy Council has launched a new gamified learning experience for students transitioning to secondary school.
The Mystery of School Island was launched today at EDUtech Australia, a two-day conference held in Sydney with 350 speakers, exploring the latest trends, disruptors, and technologies transforming the education industry.
The initiative is believed to be Australia’s first curriculum-aligned allergy education game for Years 6 and 7 students, and forms part of the Allergy 250K program, established to support the estimated 250,000 Aussies aged 12 to 24 years living with severe allergy.
Allergic disease continues to place a growing burden on Australia’s health system and communities. An estimated 8.2 million Australians live with allergic disease, generating annual financial losses of almost $19 billion and a further $44.6 billion in wellbeing losses.
Food allergy affects one in 10 babies, while more than 2400 Australians are hospitalised with anaphylaxis each year. Around 20 people die from severe allergic reactions.
Australia has some of the highest rates of childhood food allergy in the world, with around one in 20 school-aged children affected. As rates continue to rise, schools are increasingly being called on to support students at risk of potentially life-threatening allergic reactions while also promoting greater awareness among their peers.
Developed by the NAC, a partnership between Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia and the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA), the program was created with funding from the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
Through a mystery-solving format, students investigate the circumstances surrounding a classmate’s allergic reaction while learning to recognise symptoms, respond appropriately, identify common food allergens, interpret food labels, and understand the risks associated with behaviours such as food sharing.
NAC CEO Dr Sandra Vale said the program addressed a key concern raised by young people living with severe allergies.
“The most important finding from our engagement with young people was that they wanted their friends to understand allergies, but they didn’t want to be the ones constantly educating them,” Dr Vale said.
“This gamified learning experience helps students better understand allergies while making allergy awareness a shared responsibility, particularly as students become more independent in high school.”
The resource has been specifically designed for students transitioning from primary to secondary school, a period associated with increasing independence, new social environments, and greater responsibility for allergy management.
Research has shown that adolescence can be a particularly vulnerable period for young people with severe allergies, with peer influences and risk-taking behaviours potentially increasing the likelihood of accidental exposure.
For families, that transition can be a source of anxiety. Claire Jenkins, whose 10-year-old son Gene lives with severe allergies, said young people often faced complex decisions around food safety as they became more independent.
“You spend years teaching your child how to stay safe, but eventually they have to navigate the world on their own,” Ms Jenkins said.
“Programs like this help other students better understand allergies and why they need to be taken seriously, so kids with allergies feel more supported and less alone.”
The psychosocial burden of allergic disease extended beyond the risk of physical reactions, the council said.
Living with the possibility of anaphylaxis could contribute to anxiety, social isolation, and reduced quality of life for both affected individuals and their families, highlighting the importance of community understanding and supportive environments.
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Teacher and Allergy 250K peer mentor Kara Gifford said the game-based approach offered a more effective way to engage students with important health and safety messages.
“Students in this age group can be difficult to engage through traditional health education approaches, particularly when there is so much competing for their attention,” Ms Gifford said.
“This gives schools a more relatable and age-appropriate way to start important conversations around allergy awareness and safety.”
Curriculum writer Nick Rose said embedding health education within immersive storytelling could strengthen student engagement and knowledge retention.
“This project takes important health and safety information and presents it in a format that feels interactive, relatable and relevant to students,” he said.
“By aligning the experience with the Australian Curriculum, NSW syllabuses, and Victorian Curriculum, it also provides schools and teachers with a practical tool they can incorporate into classroom learning.”
The free resource includes teacher guides, classroom discussion prompts, and supplementary learning activities, and can be used as either an individual or whole-class learning experience.
