Abstract:

Students’ sense of safety is a key condition for successful learning, emotional well-being, and a positive school climate. In recent years, schools have been facing a range of new challenges that reshape how safety in educational environments is understood and maintained. Increasing migration, the integration of students arriving from conflict-affected regions, growing social diversity in classrooms, and tensions in the information space all influence relationships within school communities and may affect how safe students feel at school.

This paper explores how these changing social conditions influence the discourse on students’ sense of safety and how educational systems respond to these challenges. The study is based on qualitative analysis of public texts and education policy documents, focusing on how the concept of a safe school environment is framed and which factors are considered essential for strengthening students’ sense of safety.

The findings suggest that students’ sense of safety is increasingly linked not only to physical protection but also to emotional support, inclusive practices, cultural sensitivity, and positive relationships within the school community. The study highlights the role of schools in creating learning environments where students feel secure, respected, and supported despite the growing complexity of contemporary educational contexts.

Keywords:

Students’ sense of safety, school climate, inclusive education, migration and education, student well-being.