Technology is not only here to stay, it is moving at lightning fast speed. To equip young learners with the skills and experience necessary to lead in the workforce we need to incorporate modern tools to facilitate changes in learning as our approach to Blended Learning – integrating IT into everyday classroom teaching.
Year 9 Students
Recommended devices: Chromebook or Laptop
If you already have a device at home you do not need to buy a new one. If buying new, we recommend a chromebook or laptop so your son can use it throughout his time at NPBHS.
Year 10 Students
Recommended devices: Chromebook or Laptop
Tablets are not able to be used in NCEA digital examinations which are now required at Year 10.
Year 11-13 Students
Recommended device: Laptop
Laptop - preferably with 8GB RAM or more for Year 11-13 subjects: Art, Graphics, Design, Engineering, Computer Science, Digital Media, Music and Electronics.
Laptop - must have 8GB RAM or more for Year 12-13 Photography.
Windows laptops are recommended.
All laptops require an audio port and earbud type headphones.
Frequently Asked Questions about devices at school
If students bring a device to school there are storage and charging facilities in the IT Student Support area. This is located at the top of the stairs, in the foyer to the computer rooms. Also, students can charge devices in the library. Students need to use their school ID card as ID for leaving and collecting their laptop.
If the teacher does not require the device to be used in a particular lesson, the expectation will be that it should be turned off and kept in the student’s bag.
For most uses the free Google Suite of docs, spreadsheets etc will be best. This will function on all device types.
Some courses have specific software which they require to be loaded onto a student’s laptop. This is mainly senior courses.
The current school policy is not to connect a student’s phone, or other device smaller than an 10” screen size, to our wireless network.
If you have access to an older laptop it is worth trying it out to see if it will meet the requirements of the course.
All students using school machines are NOT permitted to have computer games, exe files or videos (not related to school work) stored in their H: drive on the school network. (One reason for this policy is that we do not have space on our servers for anything other than educational work). After school, students may play online games which don’t require downloading.
The school’s insurance does not cover damage to your laptop. Please check your personal insurance covers laptop damage at school and travelling to and from school.
Students will not be prevented from doing a subject because they do not have a device. The school runs a system whereby a student gets a form signed by his parent. He can then collect a loan device for the day but must return it by the end of the school day as we have no insurance once it goes outside the schoolgrounds.
Expensive laptops aren’t always the best when considering things such as damage, life expectancy, and changes to requirements. Also consider the battery replacement costs.