BYOD

Our BYOD program begins in Stage 2 (Year 4). It supports and enhances creative thinking and learning opportunities across all key learning areas. All students in Years 4, 5 and 6 require a Windows 11 device. Planning for the BYOD program commences in Term 3 each year. All relevant information is communicated to parents.

We take time to program learning experiences that have technology embedded within them and endeavour to design lessons that include the 21st-century learning dimensions of:

  • Collaboration
  • Real-world problem-solving and innovation
  • Self-regulation
  • Use of ICT for learning
  • Skilful communication
  • Knowledge construction.

The options for purchasing a device for your child are:

OPTION 1: supply/purchase a device personally using the guide below (Requirements).

 OPTION 2: purchase a device via Harvey Norman, Kotara using the Hunter Schools BYOD Online Portal.

Place your order online and Harvey Norman will notify you when the device is available for collection. You may wish to visit the store in person to see the devices and order in store – just let them know you are part of the BYOD school purchase program as the prices are discounted.

2026-Requirements

 

Extended version of BYOD information included in Newsletter
(Week 6 Term 1 2026)

Year 4 Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

In term 2 our year 4 children will begin with their own device.

We have successfully run a BYOD program in year 5 and 6 at St Therese’s for over eight years. We followed the advice of Catholic Schools M-N and the practice of most other similar sized Catholic schools in our diocese to extend the program into year 4 in 2023.

As we continue to prepare our students for a rapidly changing world, providing each child with access to their own learning device offers significant benefits—both academically and socially. Here are a few key reasons why this approach to learning is adopted by schools in the Maitland Newcastle Catholic Diocese.

This approach supports high‑quality learning in primary school:

  1. Encouraging Creativity and Self‑Expression
  • Having their own device allows children to explore a wide range of creative tools—drawing apps, multimedia storytelling, coding platforms, and digital design.
  • Students can experiment, refine ideas, and express themselves in ways that aren’t always possible with paper alone.
  • Creative projects can be personalised, saved, revisited, and built upon over time, helping students see their own growth.
  1. Building Essential Cyber Safety Skills Early
  • Using a personal device under guided supervision provides real‑life opportunities to teach responsible online behaviour.
  • Students learn how to protect their privacy, recognise unsafe content, and communicate respectfully in digital spaces.
  • Regular practice with clear expectations helps children develop safe habits that will stay with them throughout their schooling. Library lessons provide added support with a tailored cybersafety lesson occurring.
  • Ongoing explicit teaching on safe, respectful, and responsible behaviour online including cybersafety lessons conducted in library lessons
  • All multimedia settings, with clear consequences for misuse (as per our Internet user agreement signed by child and parent)
  • Age-appropriate restrictions applied through our school network

Parents also play an important role in this. I would highly recommend that you consult the site of the eSafety commission (as we do regularly and share in our newsletters) to support you in helping your child navigate online and setting protocols at home. https://www.esafety.gov.au/

  1. Strengthening Collaboration Skills
  • Devices enable students to work together using shared documents, digital whiteboards, and collaborative learning platforms.
  • Children learn how to contribute ideas, provide feedback, and solve problems as a team—skills that are essential for future learning and workplaces. Capability building (skills like curiosity, collaboration and problem solving) are key outcomes in our NSW syllabi.
  • Teachers can create rich, interactive tasks that encourage students to communicate and cooperate more effectively.
  1. Supporting Personalised Learning
  • With a personal device, students can work at a pace that suits their needs, whether they require extra challenge or added support.
  • Learning apps and platforms provide immediate feedback, helping students understand concepts more deeply.
  • Teachers gain valuable insights into student progress and can adjust instruction accordingly.
  1. Preparing Students for a Digital Future
  • Digital literacy is now a core skill. In our newly released NSW syllabi, digital technologies feature prominently across most Key Learning Areas (KLAs). Early, structured exposure helps students develop confidence and competence.
  • Students become familiar with tools they will use throughout secondary school and beyond.
  • Using technology purposefully from a young age builds independence and responsibility.
  • Clear expectations for device use are set in classrooms
  • Regular opportunities are provided to use the device as an enhancement to learn not as the main tool

We share our parents’ commitment to ensuring that digital learning complements—not replaces—real‑world interaction, movement, hands‑on learning, and developmentally appropriate pedagogy. The device is in fact used to enhance learning and, in many tasks, it is not the sole tool available to present learning in any given task. As a school we highly value hands on opportunities for children to express themselves, to learn, and convey their understanding. Technology will never replace varied approaches to learning and teaching.

In the session held for year 4 families last week, we featured a presentation from Next technologies who are now offering families a device to purchase with added options to support breakage etc. We understand this is a significant financial outlay for many families and we are certainly not suggesting that this is what families must choose. You are welcome to investigate other options that may be more cost effective for your situation whilst ensuring that the required specs are on the device (as per Compass information last week- see below). This has always been the suggestion of our school and remains the case, despite the addition of this option from the diocese in conjunction with Next technologies.

Before the end of term 1, we will offer families the opportunity to visit and see what BYOD offers our learners. Further information to follow via newsletter and Compass.

BYOD purchase information (as per Compass 27/02/2026)

St Therese’s BYOD Portal and the device available for purchase through Next

Technologies. A link to the portal can be found here – Home – St Therese’s 2026 BYOD

Purchasing Portal.

For those seeking to purchase a device from another vendor, a list of the minimum recommended specifications can be found here – Diocesan

BYOD Minimum Specifications | Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle.

If you take in the minimum specifications to any local

retailers that will provide you with enough information for them to assist you

with purchasing the correct device.