Certificate Maker

A certificate works when the child can read exactly what it is for. “Certificate of Achievement” on its own is wallpaper; “for reading twenty books this term” or “for helping a new classmate settle in” is something a seven-year-old will pin above the bed. Put the specific behaviour in the “for” line and keep the title short. The eight presets cover the usual end-of-term awards; type your own for anything else, from “Times Tables Champion” to “Quiet Reader of the Week”.

One certificate per student, same wording. Paste the class list into the names box and the maker produces a page for each child with identical layout, so nobody's award looks like an afterthought. Long names shrink to fit on one line rather than wrapping. If you want different “for” lines for different children, print them in small batches: change the line, replace the names, print again.

The border themes are drawn as vector graphics, so they stay sharp at any size and print cleanly on an ordinary classroom printer. Classic double rule and laurel suit formal awards and older students; stars and confetti are for the early grades; the ribbon banner carries the title boldly for an assembly presentation. Each theme comes in five palettes: the site violet, navy and gold, forest, burgundy and a plain slate for black-and-white printers.

Printing tips: the page is already set to landscape, so leave the orientation alone in the dialog and tick “Background graphics” so the colours print. Card stock of 160 to 200 gsm feeds through most office printers and feels like a real award; sign in pen after printing rather than typing a signature. For a certificate folder or frame, choose A4 or Letter to match what you have.

Ideas: a reading award to close a book challenge, paired with the free reward chart maker that tracked the books; a Super Speller certificate after the last test of the term alongside the word search maker puzzle of the same list; a Kindness Award chosen by the class by secret vote; and a perfect attendance certificate each half term rather than once a year, so it is still within reach in February.

Printing other classroom paperwork? The seating chart maker takes the same class list, and the weekly planner prints the week grid for your desk. For a child's first day there is a first day of school sign to hold up in the photo.