Technology Recommendations
Technology plays an important role in education today. The school’s recommendation for a student device is the Apple MacBook Air for all students in Years 7 to 12. When purchased in Year 7 this device has the technical capability, when treated well, to last for all 6 years of high school. Click the link to view the JB Hi-Fi BYOD Toolkit Parent Hubfor ease of purchase and requirements.
Parents may be able to get a more competitive price, but by looking in the Parent Hub you can see the recommended hardware requirements.
Student technology requirements are currently met through a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) program at Farrer. The information below describes the minimum device specifications and our recommendations for student devices.
Minimum Device Requirements
Year 7 and 8
All students beginning Year 7 at Farrer in 2024 should have a laptop device that meets the following minimum specifications:
Processor: Intel i5 or equivalent
RAM: 8GB
Hard Drive: 256 GB
Screen Size: 13 inch
Our school has been transitioning our student devices from Windows laptops to MacBook Air laptops for 2024, which are currently the device used by staff. The MacBook Air device is better suited to a full day of educational use and is of higher build quality than a similarly priced Windows laptop.
Year 7 and 8 technology subjects require the use of specialised software which does not run on devices such as iPads or Chromebooks which is why these devices are not recommended as the only student device for this stage of learning.
Mouse
We recommend students purchase a Bluetooth mouse to use with their laptop. The school canteen offers a quality bluetooth mouse that will work with Windows devices, Apple MacBooks and Apple iPads.
Typing Club
All 2024 Year 7 students will be provided with free access to an online typing training program to develop their typing skills. The development of these skills will be very valuable for future online testing as well as preparing your son for an increasingly digital workplace. Information about how to login to the Farrer version of the typing training website will be provided on Orientation Day. We will be strongly encouraging your son to practice his typing skills in the holiday period.
Minimum Device Requirements
Years 9, 10, 11 and 12
If treated appropriately, the device students started Year 7 with will still be suitable for Stage 5 and 6 (Years 9, 10, 11 and 12) of a student's education. However, it is at these stages where subject choice can play a role in the device requirements.
The minimum device specifications for a laptop computer are still applicable in Stages 5 and 6 but it is also possible to meet your technology requirements with an iPad device combined with an Apple Pencil and keyboard case, while using the same laptop device you started Year 7 with. The iPad, when combined with an Apple pencil allows students to create detailed handwritten notes which are always backed up to cloud storage. For this reason the school recommends the purchase of an iPad with an Apple Pencil for Year 10 and above.
Laptop device minimum specifications:
Processor: Intel i5 or equivalent
RAM: 8GB
Hard Drive: 256 GB
Screen Size: 13 inch
iPad device minimum specifications:
iPad Air or iPad Pro, Apple Pencil 2nd Generation, a Keyboard Case
iPad (with Home Button), Apple Pencil 1st Generation, a keyboard case
Some things to consider:
If your son is choosing a technology-based subject in Stage 5 or 6 then the reliability of his laptop device is important to ensure he does not fall behind in project work. An iPad alone is not suitable for technology-based subjects at this time.
If your son is studying a high level of mathematics in Stage 5 or 6 it is highly recommended to get an iPad device as these are heavily used by our teachers to provide fast feedback to students through digital workbooks.
Mouse
We recommend students purchase a Bluetooth mouse to use with their laptop. The school canteen offers a quality bluetooth mouse that will work with Windows devices, Apple MacBooks and Apple iPads.
Choosing the Correct Apple Pencil
Apple now have three different types of Apple Pencils available, all with different features and compatability. The table below, from Apple, is designed to help illustrate the differences. However, it can also be summarised by the following points:
If you have an iPad with a Home Button you will need the Apple Pencil 1st Generation.
If you have an iPad Pro or an iPad Air without a Home Button then you need to get an Apple Pencil 2nd Generation.
If you have an iPad with a USB-C port then you are able to use the new Apple Pencil with USB-C, BUT this pencil does not have pressure-sensitivity so is not good for artistic purposes, just note-taking.
