The need for a sense of safety and security among current generations has never been as strong as it is today. One particularly sensitive area is school safety, which has been brought to the forefront by the increasing frequency of attacks by individuals or groups within school premises, both domestically and abroad. The consequences of such incidents are, in most cases, fatal. Schools are places where people from various social backgrounds come together daily and are forced to coexist. This creates numerous tense situations, which most schools are not equipped to handle. Although society tends to perceive school safety mainly in the context of attacks (such as school shootings, improvised explosive devices, knife attacks, etc.), schools are also exposed to other threats such as fire, hazardous material leaks, cyberattacks, bullying, drug addiction, crime, and more. These threats can also have fatal consequences for health and life if not responded to in a timely and appropriate manner.

There is growing pressure from various types of schools demanding the education of both students and staff about security risks and, more importantly, about how to respond effectively. The authors of this article focus on improving the preparedness of students and school staff to manage crisis situations within the school environment. They summarize the results of an analysis of schools from the perspective of potential emergencies and identify weak points in school security. They provide an overview of innovative educational tools, such as virtual and mixed reality, modern online learning platforms, specialized software tools for crisis simulation, training centres, and more. These tools enable the simulation of direct and intense experiences with crisis situations and allow for the practice of specific protective actions. Thanks to innovative modular training courses, students and teachers acquire knowledge, skills, competencies, and habits that they can apply in the event of an emergency at school, thereby significantly reducing its negative consequences.

Keywords: Innovative training courses, educational tools, simulation, safety and security of schools.