School leavers books - PLEASE HELP

XelaM · 2026-03-19T12:16:26+00:00

I've foolishly volunteered to be in charge of the school leavers book 📕 for my daughter's Year 11, as her school are doing absolutely nothing (not even an assembly) for the Year 11s (don't get me started on the terrible new Head 😞). Anyway.... Can the wise people of Mumsnet please help 😃 Can you recommend any reasonably priced printing companies that keep it super simple? I remember in primary school, all the kids were given a 2-page spread in the year book and they were asked to design their own 2 pages with any photos/writing/drawings that they wanted and it was all then collated and put into a book. Does anything similar exist? The simpler the better!

ClubMedAlternative · 19/03/2026 14:30

We used these people - slightly clunky system but this was 2 years ago so it has probably improved since then. They were very helpful and the books were very nice (we chose hardback ones). I can’t remember how much they cost but it’ll be on their website:
Yearbook

Yearbooks and School Leavers' Books | Yearbook Machine

Yearbook Machine is an easy-to-use online yearbook creation system that allows students and other groups to make high quality printed yearbooks and school leavers’ books.

https://yearbook.com/?gad_campaignid=198567357&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADkNJBux_ZAKL55j21PcUnkOi-fIr&gclid=Cj0KCQjwve7NBhC-ARIsALZy9HXtY17di_FXbehmr6DsVM-1jKkatCLTP5_dmq5uIJaEA1MzJbITLWIaAh9DEALw_wcB

CatatonicLadybug · 19/03/2026 14:36

I did this last year and used a template on Canva (literally searched for yearbook template and picked one, then customised with school colours etc) and printed online with a company called Doczoo. Only time I’ve used them but it all went smoothly and the books looked very nice. Order to delivery time was actually quicker than they quoted.

Original poster

XelaM · 19/03/2026 15:05

CatatonicLadybug · 19/03/2026 14:36

I did this last year and used a template on Canva (literally searched for yearbook template and picked one, then customised with school colours etc) and printed online with a company called Doczoo. Only time I’ve used them but it all went smoothly and the books looked very nice. Order to delivery time was actually quicker than they quoted.

Ohh brilliant, how much was this?

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Thesnailonthewhale · 19/03/2026 15:06

Can't the kids organise it? They do at the school in work at.

happynewyearhappynewyear · 19/03/2026 15:08

DDs sixth form organised it themselves but I’ve just looked at it and it seems to have been done by ‘Yearbook Machine’.

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XelaM · 19/03/2026 18:22

happynewyearhappynewyear · 19/03/2026 15:08

DDs sixth form organised it themselves but I’ve just looked at it and it seems to have been done by ‘Yearbook Machine’.

Thank you! Year Book Machine looks simple enough. I will try them first

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XelaM · 19/03/2026 18:24

Thesnailonthewhale · 19/03/2026 15:06

Can't the kids organise it? They do at the school in work at.

They'll do the pages themselves obviously but I can't see them organising the printing, especially as they'll be in the middle of their GCSEs

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NeverDropYourMooncup · 19/03/2026 18:25

Bear in mind that getting the school photos is actually a git of a job for somebody at the school - technically, time consuming and fraught due to photo permissions and the like.

You may find it easier to get the parents to supply a photo as they've then consented to its use.

CatatonicLadybug · 20/03/2026 08:57

XelaM · 19/03/2026 15:05

Ohh brilliant, how much was this?

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I’ve just gone back to our receipt so this was pricing in July 2025. We had 52 pages in an A4 paperback with colour printing and we did next working day production because I was terrified it would be late (it was not at all). 100 copies ran just under £5 per yearbook with all the shipping and such included.

Our school insisted they do not get involved with photos so we had everyone send in a photo from home from when they were little and we took a current photo with a parent photographer donating their time/services at the school gates for a couple days. Might be easier to get them to all send in a current photo too but we knew we wouldn’t get a good take up that way this group of kids so just had to get a bit creative to make sure everyone was in the book with a nice photo but it worked.

Original poster

XelaM · 20/03/2026 11:09

CatatonicLadybug · 20/03/2026 08:57

I’ve just gone back to our receipt so this was pricing in July 2025. We had 52 pages in an A4 paperback with colour printing and we did next working day production because I was terrified it would be late (it was not at all). 100 copies ran just under £5 per yearbook with all the shipping and such included.

Our school insisted they do not get involved with photos so we had everyone send in a photo from home from when they were little and we took a current photo with a parent photographer donating their time/services at the school gates for a couple days. Might be easier to get them to all send in a current photo too but we knew we wouldn’t get a good take up that way this group of kids so just had to get a bit creative to make sure everyone was in the book with a nice photo but it worked.

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Wow that's amazingly cheap! Thank you!🙏

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