The Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Program operates for all Senior School Students. The BYOD Program aims to enhance student learning outcomes, provide the best opportunities for students to engage in digital learning, develop contemporary 21st Century skills and is integral to the curriculum.  Students are required to bring their device every day to school.
It can be challenging to choose a device. To make the decision easier for parents each year we choose a recommended supplier with a range of devices to suit different budgets and needs. Parents who prefer to purchase through other suppliers can use these devices as a guide. We have broken them up into four options: Basic, Standard, Premium and an Apple device.
The criteria against which the laptops are tested are:
- The machine must be an educational model with a robust screen and internal structure
- Within the above constraint, it will be as light in weight as possible
- It will fit within a price range
- The Standard and Premium machine will have the option of being a stylus enabled device
- It will have a battery life that will last for the duration of a school day
- It will have a three-year warranty and the option of accidental insurance cover
- There will be flexible financing arrangements
For the 2025 school year the devices are below:
- Basic – Lenovo 13w Yoga – 13.3′ Touch, Ryzen 5, 8GB Ram, 256GB of Storage
- Standard – Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga – 13.3″ Touch, 16GB Ram, 256/512GB of Storage
- Premium – HP Elitebook 830 x 360 – 13.3″ Touch, 16GB Ram, 256GB of Storage
- Apple device – MacBook AIR -M3
Recommended specifications:
- CPU – All the latest Intel and AMD Ryzen and previous generations are fine. The new Snapdragon processes will be generally fine, there are some software compatibility issues iwth Video Production and Electronics software, so check before buying
- RAM – minimum 8GB
- Hard Drive – Must be a solid state and 256GB and above
- Screen – 11″ minimum but would not go over 14″ causing issues with weight and battery life
- Weight – device without charger should be under 1.7kg
- Warranty – 3 years
- Accidental damage insurance – 3 years
The Standard and Premium Windows devices come with a touch screen and a stylus. Details on how to purchase the machine are below. Please note that the device will be sent directly to your home. We highly recommend that you buy the 3 Year Warranty and Accidental Damage Cover. The cost is an additional $100 – $200 and removes the hassle and stress if your child accidentally damages their device.
The preferred supplier is Learning with Technologies (LWT) based in Blackburn Victoria, and the device can be ordered through the following website:
The site is easy to use. You can choose to buy outright or by using finance arrangements. Please be aware that there are merchant charges for the use of credit cards.
If you intend to buy an Apple device, you can purchase directly from the  site, go to  here in Bendigo or purchase through . We also recommend that you buy the AppleCare Pack, which covers accidental damage.
Buying through the portal for Windows devices allows if there are warranty or insurance issues, the student can take the device to the IT Office where they will assess, lodge the claim and arrange the repair.
Please note that parents are under no obligation to buy from our preferred supplier, and parents are most welcome to purchase a device from a supplier of their choice.
Instructions on how to set up the student device, activate their Girton account, set up Microsoft Office, log in to Astra (the School’s Learning Management System), and set up their email and printers, will be sent to parents in early January, or if they are attending the ECP program in November (Year 8 – 12) it will be sent the Friday before ECP commences. If extra support is required, students are asked to bring their device to School on their first day, and support will be available.Â
If you wish to discuss further you can contact the IT Department by email or by calling us on 5441 3114.
As part of Girton’s ICT offering, students have access to Office 365 Education which is Microsoft’s Office suite. This includes Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote.