13 Newspaper Templates in Word for School, Sports & Local News

There’s something about a newspaper layout that makes any story feel important: a bold masthead, a big headline, neat columns of text. That’s why teachers use them for class projects, clubs use them for updates and families use them for anniversaries and birthdays. A newspaper template in Word gives you that look without hours of fiddling with columns.

Here are 13 free newspaper templates in MS Word, including school, sports and local news designs, minimalist and professional layouts, and fillable formats.

Anatomy of a Newspaper Front Page

  • Masthead: the paper’s name, date and issue number across the top.
  • Lead headline: the biggest story, in the largest type.
  • Byline: who wrote the article.
  • Lead paragraph: who, what, when, where and why in one or two sentences.
  • Photos with captions that explain what the reader is looking at.
  • Columns and teasers pointing to stories on later pages.

Newspaper Templates in Word

School Newspaper Template

Exclusive Newspaper Format Template

Local Newspaper Design Word Template

Editable Sports Newspaper Template

Standard Newspaper Format Template

Free Customizable Newspaper Example Doc

Sample of Newspaper Layout Doc Template

Minimalistic Newspaper Design Template

Standard Fillable Newspaper Sample

Newspaper Template Word Free Download

Professional Newspaper Design Template

Official Newspaper Doc Template

Example Format of a Newspaper

Ideas for Using a Newspaper Template

In the classroom

Students write about a historical event as if it just happened, report on a science experiment or summarize a novel’s plot as breaking news. Pair it with a timeline template for history units.

At work

A monthly company paper is a fun alternative to a standard newsletter, with project wins, new hires and upcoming events.

At home

Celebrate a birthday or anniversary with a “special edition” front page of headlines from the year someone was born, or share a year in review alongside a family newsletter.

For longer publications with features and photo spreads, try our magazine templates instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make newspaper columns in Word?

Select your text, go to Layout and choose Columns. Newspaper templates usually have columns set up already, so you can simply replace the sample text.

What font do newspapers use?

Serif fonts like Times New Roman or Georgia are classic for body text, with a bold, condensed font for headlines.

Can students use these templates for school projects?

Yes. They’re ideal for class assignments, and the school newspaper template is designed specifically for student reporters.

Christine is a professional business manager and the creator of Templateswift.com. With years of experience in management and productivity tools, she combines her professional expertise with her passion for design to create free Word and Excel templates for users worldwide.
What started as a hobby has grown into a platform where Christine shares her knowledge, helping others save time and work more efficiently. She enjoys turning complex tasks into simple, well-structured solutions that anyone can use—whether for business, education, or personal projects.
When she’s not managing her professional responsibilities, Christine dedicates her time to expanding Templateswift.com, ensuring that every resource is practical, polished, and user-friendly.