ICT Requirements & User Agreements

ICT Requirements

Increasingly, students and teachers are accessing most applications, communications, and storage online - the particular device, platform, or brand etc being used matters less and less. 

In choosing an appropriate device for school the following points should be considered:

• You should expect to have at least 2 devices over your time at the College.  
  • Students coming in at Yr 7 will likely want to upgrade their devices by Yr 10 or 11.  
  • Students coming in at Yr 9 might wait a little longer.  
  • Tablets (iPads/Galaxy etc) are not suitable from Yr 9 onwards.
  • Chromebooks have limited processing power to cope with tech heavy subjects like 3D design, Digital Technology.
• Do you have a suitable device already that will meet your needs for the first year or so?
• Will I be using this device for other than school work - if so, will I require something with higher specifications?
• At senior levels, examinations are increasingly being completed digitally and require devices with keyboards - we would encourage developing keyboard skills as early as possible.
• Size, weight, battery life etc are important considerations - you will be carrying this device to every class - it needs to be sufficiently robust and protected in a case or sleeve whenever possible.

ICT Recommended Specifications

The experience of using iPads over past years has demonstrated the flexible and creative aspects to having a touchscreen device, especially in the junior years.  However, we have also experienced the limitations of not having the full functionality and power of a laptop. We are therefore encouraging students to consider a laptop or a hybrid (2-in-1) laptop.  These are modern laptops that are flexible in their use - touchscreen tablet-like as well as full laptop mode. There are a wide range of these on the market and at a wide range of prices. 

For those of you who just want to know the recommended specs:

• Form Factor: Laptop or Hybrid Tablet/Laptop (2 in 1) 
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10/11 or Apple MacOS
• Processor: 
  • Intel Core i5/AMD Ryzen 5 or better 
  • M1 or higher for Mac
• RAM: 16GB (gigabytes) recommended minimum
• Storage: 256GB+ SSD (Solid State Drive) minimum 512GB+ recommended
• Screen size: 12” minimum, 15” maximum
• Graphics: Onboard graphics (for most users).
• Networking: Wireless 802.11n/ac (WiFi 5) or better.  Laptop must support 5Ghz wifi
• Battery Life: 8+ Hours (under general use)
• At least 1 year warranty

It’s worth stressing that these are only a recommendation and not essential as budgetary constraints always come into play. There will likely be compromises on the above specifications and that is fine.  Parents are welcome to source devices wherever they can find the best deal.  

ICT User Agreement

The college endeavours to maintain a cybersafety culture which is in keeping with the values of the school, and legislative and professional obligations. This user agreement includes information about your obligations, responsibilities, and the nature of possible consequences associated with cybersafety breaches which undermine the safety of the school environment.

All students will be issued with a use agreement and once signed consent has been returned to school, students will be able to access school ICT equipment and services.