A class timetable maker for real school days

How do I make a class timetable I can print?

Start with the shape of the school day, then fill in the subjects. In the periods box, write one line per period with its start and end time, such as 08:30-09:15. When a line is a break, lunch, assembly or registration, add a vertical bar and a label after the time, for example 12:00-12:45 | Lunch. Those lines stretch across the whole week as a shaded band, so the grid reads the way the day actually feels.

Next, in the subjects box, write one line for each day, starting with Monday. Separate the subjects with commas in the order they happen, and skip the breaks, because the maker places them for you. The first subject on each line goes into the first lesson period, the second into the second, and so on. If a period is free, leave nothing between two commas.

1. Write your period times, one per line, with breaks marked using a bar and a label.
2. Write Monday's subjects on the first line of the subjects box, separated by commas.
3. Add a line for every other school day.
4. Check the preview and fix any subject that slipped into the wrong period.

How are subjects colour coded, and does it work in black and white?

Every subject gets its own colour the first time it appears, and the same subject keeps that colour all week, so Maths on Monday matches Maths on Friday. Spelling the subject the same way each time matters: Maths and Math count as two different subjects.

Colour alone is not enough on a school photocopier, so each subject also gets its own light pattern, such as stripes, dots or a grid, and the subject name is printed in every cell. Choose Ink saver under Ink and the colours drop away while the patterns and names stay. A key at the bottom of the page lists every subject with its swatch.

What should a teacher's class timetable include?

A wall timetable is read from across the room, so keep the labels short. Use the subject name rather than a full lesson title, and put room numbers or teacher names in the term field or on a separate list if the cells get crowded. The rows grow to fill the page, so a day with six lessons gives each lesson plenty of height.

Teachers often print two versions: a filled timetable for the classroom wall and the school office, and a blank copy for pupils to fill in by hand during the first week. Filling in their own copy helps children learn the week, and it gives younger pupils a useful reading task.

• Mark registration, assembly, breaks and lunch as full width rows.
• Keep each subject name under about 15 characters for easy reading.
• Put specialist lessons such as PE, music or library on the same line every week so pupils remember the kit they need.

Can students and parents use it for a personal school schedule?

Yes. Older students can enter their own options and sets, then print a copy for the front of a planner and another for the bedroom wall. Parents of younger children often keep a copy by the door, so PE days, library days and instrument lessons are easy to see while packing bags in the morning.

Because your timetable lives in the page link, you can press Copy my link and save it. When a lesson moves mid term, open the link, change one line and print again.

Does it handle six day weeks, rotating days and long days?

Choose Monday to Saturday for a six day week. For rotating timetables, such as a Day 1 to Day 6 cycle, type the subjects in cycle order and treat each column as a cycle day, then write the cycle name in the term field. You can list up to 14 lines of periods and breaks, and the rows shrink to keep everything on one page at either paper size.

If your school runs a two week timetable, make one link for Week A and another for Week B, set the title to match, and print both.

What paper size should I print the timetable on?

Pick A4 or US Letter under Paper. The timetable is laid out to fit both exactly, with the days across the top and the periods running down the page. Print at 100 percent or Actual size, and switch on background graphics in your print dialog if the colours do not appear. For a classroom wall, print on card or laminate the page so it survives the year.