St Paul's Collegiate School Device Information

Information for 2027

St Paul's Collegiate School is a full BYOD school, so all students are required to bring a device with a full keyboard. Because some subjects already sit NZQA exams online, students should use a full keyboard daily to prepare.

Year 9 and Year 10 students are required to bring a Chromebook. The Chromebook will be added to the school's Google domain, and its settings and permissions will be managed by the school. This allows us to more closely monitor and manage junior student devices.

Students may continue to use their Chromebook in Year 11. However, if they prefer, they may use a Windows or Apple laptop instead.

If students already have a Chromebook from a previous school, we are happy for them to continue using that device. If buying a new Chromebook, consider the specifications below before purchasing. 

With current global RAM shortages, the price of Chromebooks has been steadily increasing. The important specs for a good educational Chromebook are: 1) RAM: at least 8 GB will ensure the device can run smoothly with multiple tabs open. 2) Screen and build quality. The screens are the most common issue, as students often break them. A non-touch screen is cheaper to replace, whereas touchscreen devices are stronger. So we recommend any 8 GB model, ideally with a 12 to 14-inch touchscreen. Currently, the best-value option that meets all these specs is the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 CB514-6HT 14" 

Where to buy

We have set up a BYOD portal agreement with PB Tech. If parents buy from there, the school can act on your behalf when dealing with warranty issues. This is very helpful for boarding students. We will update the PB Tech portal with other appropriate devices if the recommended model runs out of stock.

PB Tech BYOD Portal

The school also has an agreement with Cyclone, so parents can purchase devices via their BYOD Portal, and the school can act on your behalf when dealing with warranty issues. 

*Note that when students break their devices, this is not normally covered under a standard warranty. For boarding students, the school can arrange a repair from a local repair location. 

** It can be hard to find good Chromebooks in January, as they are mostly used for education, and devices tend to sell out at the start of the academic year, so it is a good idea to purchase before the end of 2026. 

What do we do with the device?

At the start of the year, as part of our orientation, students hand in their devices to be enrolled on the school's Google domain. This allows us to lock the devices down and restrict which apps students can run and which websites they can access. This is key to ensuring the devices do not become a distraction in the classroom.