St Agnes is committed to seamless integration of information technology within our educational experiences.
Students are required to bring a learning device to St Agnes as part of their education. We teach students to use technology in innovative and creative ways, empowering them to build capacity and skills to actively participate in the world beyond school.
Bring your own device FAQs
Device Options and Specifications
Year 7-9
- Macbook/Air/Pro 128GB Minimum storage (256GB Recommended)
- Windows Devices Lenovo Ideapad S145 or 130 HP Pavillion Notebook 14 inch Acer Laptop (8 GB RAM and Min. 12 GB HDD)
Students can use an existing iPad they may have used in primary school. However we do not recommend purchasing a new one as laptops are the preferred option.
(Please note the network does not support any other Windows devices except the ones listed above).
Years 10-12
- Macbook/Air/Pro 128GB Minimum storage (512GB Recommended)
- HP, Lenovo, Acer (8 GB RAM and Min 256 GB HDD)
Longevity
When MacBooks are used in an education environment up to 8-10 hours a day they still have a shelf life of 5 Years (minimum). This far outweighs other competition. Yes you may pay more money initially but another reason we are a Mac only school is that we ensure that your device will last your student from year 10-12 without any new purchases.
Infrastructure
The school infrastructure has been built and focused around Apple Machines.
Network
The networks and cabling at the school have been set up based on Apple products for the learning at the school. By having an Apple only focus we are able to increase speeds and detect problems a lot quicker than using multi systems.
TVs and projectors
The school has installed over Apple TV's which can only be connected to via Apple products such as a MacBook. If students need to project an assessment or present to the class they can only do so through their Apple products.
Purchasing a MacBook
There are currently two purchasing options for families.
You can purchase a MacBook online using the Parent Portal of Compnow, the preferred suppliers of Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese. This is a secure portal that enables parents to purchase Macbooks, bags and accessories at discount educational pricing.
Parents are also able to purchase from the Apple stores either in person or online at Castle Hill or Penrith.
These Apple stores offer discounted education pricing on all devices and accessories for students of Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese.
Parents are also free to purchase a MacBook from any retailer such as Harvey Norman or JB Hi-Fi.
St Agnes highly recommends parents include some form of personal insurance for their child's device.
A full coverage case for the device is essential to protect the device.
Technical Support
The school's ICT Team will assist students with technical difficulties they may experience.
Once the student commences, the device will be enrolled into our management system which will provide the device.