Computer Skills
Beginner
60 mins
Teacher/Student led
Learning Goals
Learning Outcomes
+80 XP
What you need:
Chromebook/Laptop/PC or iPad/Tablet

Page Layout: Margins, Orientation, Headers & Footers

Learn to set margins, choose page orientation, and add headers, footers, and page numbers to your documents. Master the five layout controls that make documents look polished and professional.

Teacher Class Feed

Load previous activity

    1 - Introduction

    Welcome

    Good layout is what separates 'a document I wrote' from 'a document someone will actually read'. This lesson covers margins, orientation, headers, footers, and page numbers. These are the small layout changes that turn a handed-in stack of paper into a proposal that looks intentional, and they are the first thing an employer or assessor notices before they read a single word.

    By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

    • Set margins and page orientation
    • Insert a header, footer, and page number
    • Predict what your document will look like on paper

    Warm-up

    Imagine you email a 4-page proposal to an employer. They print it out, and halfway through reading, the pages fall off the desk and get shuffled with another student's work. Without reading any of the content, what two simple layout features would let them put each person's pages back in the right order?

    👇 Mark your steps as done as you complete them.

    +5 XP

    2 - Key Concepts

    Five layout controls do most of the work. Learn where each one lives, then apply them to your own proposal.

    ConceptWhy it mattersExample
    Margins — the blank space between your text and the four edges of the page, usually measured in centimetresMargins that are too small look cramped and risk getting cut off when printed. Margins that are too big waste space and look unserious. Normal (about 2.54 cm) is the safe professional default.—
    Orientation — whether the page is tall (Portrait) or wide (Landscape)Portrait is standard for reports and letters. Landscape is better when you have a wide table, a timeline, or a photo that would get squashed in Portrait.A stocktake sheet with 10 columns fits on one landscape page, but squeezes off the edge in portrait
    Header — text that repeats at the top of every page, set once and applied automaticallyWhen an employer or assessor gets your document, the header tells them whose work it is and what project it's about at a glance, even if only page 2 survivesA Work Experience report with "Seán O'Brien | Centra Placement | October 2025" at the top of every page
    Footer & page numbers — text that repeats at the bottom of every page, usually including an auto-counted page numberPage numbers stop a document getting shuffled and lost. A reader knows instantly if a page is missing and in what order the pages belong.Footer reads "Page 2 of 4" so the reader can see a page is missing without reading a word
    Print preview — a before-you-print view that lays out each page exactly as it will appear on paperThe editing view and the printed page are not the same. Print preview catches missing headers, strange page breaks, and overflow before you commit.Print preview shows your header disappeared on page 2, so you fix it before anyone sees it

    👇 Mark your steps as done as you complete them.

    +10 XP

    3 - Step-by-step Task: Practise the Five Layout Controls

    You'll create a tiny practice document and apply all five layout controls to it. Keep the content short so you can focus on the layout mechanics, then you'll use the same techniques on your real proposal in the next step.

    +15 XP

    4 - Common Issues

    If something looks wrong, check this table before asking for help. These are the four layout problems students hit most often.

    IssueSolution
    I typed my header but it only appears on page 1Scroll down to page 2 to check it again. Headers repeat automatically. If it really is missing, you probably typed into a text box or the body. Open the header area again with {{menu:Insert -> Header & Footer}} then {{btn:Header}} (Word Online) or {{menu:Insert -> Headers & footers -> Header}} (Google Docs) and retype it there.
    My page number also shows on the cover page and I don't want it toIn Word Online, open the header/footer editor and tick {{btn:Different First Page}} in the Header & Footer options. In Google Docs, choose the page number option with "No on first page" shown beneath the icon.
    Print preview shows my text running off the right edgeYour margins are probably too small or the font size too large. Go back to {{menu:Layout -> Margins}} (Word Online) or {{menu:File -> Page setup}} (Google Docs) and reset to Normal / 2.54 cm. Also check you haven't accidentally set orientation to landscape when you wanted portrait.
    I can't click into the header or footer areaDouble-click the very top or bottom edge of the page to enter header/footer edit mode. To exit, click anywhere back in the body text.
    +10 XP

    5 - Portfolio Build: Polish Your Proposal Draft

    Independent Practice

    Your goal: Apply the five layout controls you just practised to your real proposal, so that when an employer or assessor prints it, they can see at a glance whose work it is, how many pages there are, and in what order they belong.
    Time: ~20 minutes
    Task: Open your existing {{code:03_proposal_draft}} from your {{code:Digital_Portfolio}} folder. Set Normal margins and Portrait orientation. Add a header showing your own name, your own project title, and today's real date — for example, your header might read "Seán O'Brien | Centra Work Experience Proposal | 14 October 2025", but swap in your actual details. Finally, add a page number to the bottom-right of every page. When you are done, open print preview and check the document page by page before closing the preview.
    Success criteria:
    • Your name, project title, and date appear at the top of every page, not just the first one
    • A page number appears at the bottom of every page
    • Margins and orientation look intentional, with no text running off the edges when you view print preview
    • Print preview looks the way you want it to look on paper, with no surprises
    +15 XP

    Unlock the Full Learning Experience

    Get ready to embark on an incredible learning journey! Get access to this lesson and hundreds more on our learning platform.

    Get started
    Copyright Notice
    This lesson is copyright of Coding Ireland 2017 - 2025. Unauthorised use, copying or distribution is not allowed.
    🍪 Our website uses cookies to make your browsing experience better. By using our website you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more