Student
Devices
Devices Overview
Welcome, parents, to our guide on the College Device Program. This page is designed to provide you with a clear overview of the technology requirements and options for your child at each stage of their learning journey. We aim to integrate technology in a way that supports a modern, engaging, and safe learning environment.
Our Device Philosophy
At Citipointe, we believe that technology is a powerful tool for enhancing education. Our device program is structured to provide students with the most suitable technology for their age and curriculum. This approach ensures that students have the right tools to develop essential digital literacy skills while maintaining a safe and productive learning environment.
Partnering with Compnow
To make the process of purchasing a MacBook easier for families, we have partnered with Compnow. This partnership offers several key benefits:
- Centralised Purchasing: Parents can purchase a recommended MacBook model directly through the dedicated CompNow parent portal.
- School Management: When you purchase a device through the portal, the College can manage it. This allows our IT team to ensure the device is configured correctly, locked down with appropriate security settings, and has the necessary educational applications pre-installed, ensuring a safe and seamless experience for your child. When your student graduates or leaves the College, the device will be released from the Citipointe Management portal.
Support and Assistance
Our IT team is available to assist with any questions or issues related to school-managed devices. For personally owned devices, our team can offer guidance and support for connecting to the school’s Wi-Fi network and accessing key resources.
We believe this program will provide your child with the best possible technological foundation for their education. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact the College.
Devices Requirements by Year Level (2026)
Here is a breakdown of our device requirements from Prep to Year 12 for 2026.
- Prep to Year 3: The college provides class sets of iPads for use within the classroom. This allows our youngest students to engage with technology in a structured and supervised setting.
- Year 4: The college will provide each student with a school-owned iPad that can be taken home. This helps students and families transition to a more independent use of technology with a standardized device.
- Years 5 & 6: Students are required to bring their own iPad. This provides students with ownership and responsibility for their device while maintaining consistency across the year levels for classroom activities.
- Year 7: Students are required to bring their own MacBook. We transition to MacBooks in Year 7 to support the increasing demands of the secondary curriculum, which often involves more complex software and project-based work.
- Years 8 & 9: Students have the option to bring their own MacBook or iPad. This flexibility allows students to choose the device that best suits their individual learning style and elective subjects.
- Years 10 to 12: Students are required to bring their own laptop. At this stage, students have a high degree of autonomy and require a device that can handle the specific demands of their senior subjects.
Devices Requirements by Year Level (2026)
| 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | |
| Prep – Year 3 | School provided iPad in class sets | School provided iPad in class sets | School provided iPad in class sets |
| Year 4 | School provided iPad | School provided iPad | School provided iPad |
| Year 5 | BYO iPad | School provided iPad | School provided iPad |
| Year 6 | BYO iPad | BYO iPad | School provided iPad |
| Year 7 | BYO MacBook | BYO MacBook | BYO MacBook |
| Year 8 | BYO MacBook or iPad | BYO MacBook | BYO MacBook |
| Year 9 | BYO MacBook or iPad | BYO MacBook or iPad | BYO MacBook |
| Year 10 | BYO Laptop | BYO MacBook | BYO MacBook |
| Year 11 | BYO Laptop | BYO Laptop | BYO MacBook |
| Year 12 | BYO Laptop | BYO Laptop | BYO Laptop |
Devices Specifications
iPad Specifications – Years 5 & 6
To ensure a smooth and effective learning experience, we recommend the following minimum specifications for an iPad for students in Years 5 and 6. These specifications are designed to support the curriculum and provide a device that will be reliable and capable for several years.
- Model: We recommend a recent model of the standard iPad or iPad Air. Models from the last 2-3 years will generally meet the performance needs of the curriculum. The iPad Mini is not recommended as its smaller screen size may not be suitable for all educational applications and activities.
- Storage: A minimum of 64 GB is suitable.
- Connectivity: A Wi-Fi only model is sufficient for school use. All learning spaces are equipped with a robust Wi-Fi network. Purchasing a cellular-enabled model is not advised.
- Accessories: To maximize the device’s utility, we recommend a durable, protective case and a quality screen protector. The use of a physical keyboard and/or an Apple Pencil is optional but can greatly enhance productivity and creative tasks.
- Operating System: The device must be able to run the current version of iPadOS (or a recent version). This is crucial for compatibility with school-provided apps and for ensuring the device receives important security updates.
MacBook Specifications
For students in our secondary school program (Years 7-12), a MacBook is an excellent tool for learning. To ensure the best experience and longevity from the device, we have put together the following recommendations.
- Model: We recommend the MacBook Air. It provides a fantastic balance of portability, performance, and battery life, making it the ideal choice for most students who need to carry their device between classes and home. While a MacBook Pro is a powerful machine, it is often not necessary for the vast majority of our curriculum.
- Processor (CPU): We recommend any MacBook with an Apple M2 chip or a newer model. These processors are incredibly fast, energy-efficient, and will easily handle all of the software and tasks required throughout their schooling.
- Memory (RAM): A minimum of 8 GB of Unified Memory is sufficient for general school use, including web Browse, word processing, and presentations. However, we strongly recommend 16 GB of Unified Memory if your budget allows. This upgrade provides significant future-proofing, ensuring the device remains responsive and capable as software and applications become more demanding over time.
- Storage (SSD): A minimum of 256 GB of SSD storage is sufficient for all student requirements. All students have access to cloud storage through Microsoft OneDrive, which is provided by the College. This allows students to securely save and access their documents, projects, and media from any device, reducing the need for extensive local storage on the MacBook itself
- Accessories: A durable protective case is highly recommended. It is vital to protect the device from the rigors of daily school life. A quality case and/or screen protector will help prevent damage from bumps and drops.
A Note on the Compnow Portal: Our partnership with Compnow offers pre-configured MacBook models that meet or exceed these recommendations, and purchasing through the portal allows for seamless college management and support. This is the simplest way to ensure your child has a device that is perfectly suited for their educational journey.
Jamf Safe Internet Benefits
If a parent elects to purchase their student’s device through the Compnow portal, the College will be able to manage the device through the College Management Server. As part of this management, the College will install a product called Jamf Safe Internet to enhance the safety and security of your child’s device. This powerful, education-focused security solution is deployed on all college-managed MacBooks and iPads, providing a protective layer that helps ensure a positive and productive learning experience, whether at school or at home.
Here are the key benefits of Jamf Safe Internet for you and your child:
- Protection from Inappropriate Content: Jamf Safe Internet works by blocking access to harmful, inappropriate, and distracting websites. This includes content that may be illegal, explicit, or simply not conducive to a learning environment.
- Defense Against Cyber Threats: The internet can be a place with hidden dangers. This technology actively prevents access to malicious sites, such as those associated with malware, phishing scams, and other cyberattacks, keeping your child’s device and personal information secure.
- Consistent Safety, Anywhere: This protection is not limited to the college campus. Jamf Safe Internet provides the same level of security whether your child is using the device on our Wi-Fi network, at a local café, or at home. The safety filters and threat prevention are always active.
- Privacy-First Approach: The system is designed to protect students without invading their privacy. It focuses on blocking unsafe content and threats rather than monitoring individual Browse history. This “prevention over inspection” model ensures a safe online experience while respecting your child’s confidentiality.
- Seamless Integration: As a core part of our device management system, Jamf Safe Internet is seamlessly deployed and managed by our IT team. This means you don’t need to worry about installing or configuring the software; it works automatically to keep your child safe.
Compnow
Purchasing a device through the Compnow purchasing portal can benefit in several key ways:
- Device management: Devices will be enrolled in the College mobile device management server which will ensure that the device is locked down. Security, settings and applications will be managed by the College IT Staff.
- Internet Filtering: Devices will have Jamf Safe Internet installed – see the benefits of Jamf Safe Internet on this page.
- Access to Educational Pricing: The portal provides parents with access to discounted pricing on devices and accessories.
- Device Suitability and School Requirements: Devices available on the portal are pre-approved and have been selected by the school to meet its specific curriculum and technical requirements. This ensures the child has a suitable device that will work seamlessly within the school’s ecosystem
- Streamlined Purchasing Process: The online portal is designed to be user-friendly and is available 24/7. It simplifies the purchasing process, allowing parents to order and pay for devices directly without going through the school. It can also handle purchases for multiple siblings in a single transaction.
- Flexible Payment Options: The portal offers various payment methods, including credit card, direct debit, and personal finance options, such as interest-free plans through partners like Edstart.
- Dedicated Support and Services: Compnow provides various support and service benefits, including:
- Onsite Support: In many cases, Compnow offers onsite technical assistance at the school to help with repairs and troubleshooting, which can minimize device downtime and disruption to learning.
- Warranty and Insurance: Parents can purchase extended warranty and insurance plans to protect the device from damage, theft, and other issues.
- Pre-configuration: Devices will be configured to the school’s specific requirements, including the operating system and standard applications, ensuring they are ready to use out of the box.
