School certificates hold special memories for the recipient long after they have left education and grown up. Here is everything you need to know about printing school certificates.
What does school certificates normally include?
Certificate title
The certificate is the first thing your recipient reads and it is generally at the top of the document. The title should explain what event the person participated in or alternatively show the significance of the award.
Example: “Outstanding achievement In Water Polo”
Presentation line
Include a short line of text such as “This certificate is awarded to…” with the recipient’s name completing the sentence. This is a simple step but it is important that you don’t forget to introduce the recipient.
Example: “This certificate is awarded to…”
Recipient
This will be the name of person/persons/or group who will be receiving the award. You might want to make this a little larger to make it stand out.
Example: “John Smith”
From (usually the school)
State the name of the school giving them the certificate/award. You can put it in the main text, use the school logo or place a signature at the bottom.
Example: “Prouille Catholic School”
Certificate description
Describe the reason for the certificate. It should detail the achievement – such as 1st Place etc. – make sure it is personalised to the pupil’s final result or involvement.
Example: “The outstanding achievement in Water Polo award is given to players who show exemplary sportsmanship”
Date
Don’t forget to include the date, which can be in any format you want. In years to come the pupil may want to remember when the event happened.
Example: “21st June 2019”
Signature
This is usually placed at the bottom of the certificate, with a signature from the teacher, deputy or even headmaster. It will make the certificate look and feel more official.
Example: “_)-(_D”
What are the key graphic elements?
Border
Not all certificates feature a border or frame around the edge. However, it is not uncommon to have this traditional style. You can opt for a plain design, or a faint background pattern as an alternative.
Logo
You might want to place the school logo in either of the top corners, or at the bottom of the certificate, depending on the amount of content being included in the body.
Seal
Some certificates include a gold starburst seal that is stuck onto the paper separately, or design one that is included with the rest of the content as it is printed. Or for that extra special touch, we can include a foil stamp for the seal, or even emboss it onto the certificate.
What paper stock should I choose?
School certificates are best printed on thicker paper to give them a literal and figurative weight of importance.
As standard at Printech we use thick 300gsm to ensure a high quality finish. To give you an idea of the paper’s thickness, a business card is typically 350gsm, which demonstrates the certificate paper will be nice and sturdy. And if needed, you can also have a double-sided print included.
Set the certificate size?
Most school certificates are printed as A4 (210mm x 297mm). It is unlikely you will need to go any larger, but you can choose to go smaller with an A5 (148mm x 210mm) certificate. Or perhaps even opt for an A6 (105 x 148mm). Much will depend on the reason for the certificate and the budget available to you.
How do I print school certificates?
We offer affordable certificate printing for schools, colleges or workplaces. All our school certificates are printed on 300gsm offset paper, they can be single or double sided and we offer free delivery and a 48-hour turnaround. Check out our certificate printing options here.