Laptop Program Policy
Westminster School is committed to helping all students and staff achieve more than they thought possible through an adventurous education, which takes place anytime our students are challenged in their learning and when staff explore new opportunities to improve their profession.
As part of this commitment, the School has introduced a 1:1 managed laptop program for students to help keep our students safe online, maximise teaching and learning opportunities, and to ensure that all students are equipped with the latest technology
Ownership
The laptop is owned by Westminster School.
Fees and Charges
In 2025, families who are part of the School’s Laptop Program are to be charged an IT levy of $200 per term, per student ($800 per year). The charge will change annually by CPI.
For students joining the program midway through a semester, this levy will be a pro rata calculation based on the number of weeks left in a semester from the delivery date of the laptop.
Families can request to purchase the device upon leaving the School or at the end of the devices three-year cycle by applying to the School. These requests will be assessed and quoted on a case-by-case basis.
Warranty, Accidental Damage and Loss
As part of the School Laptop Program, the School will provide access to a working device. In any case of a fault or damage to the laptop, the School’s IT Service Department must be notified within two business days to assess and diagnose the fault or damage. The laptop must be presented to the IT Services Team upon request.
All laptops provided by the School will be covered by warranty and an accidental damage policy.
The School will be running a ‘hot swap’ program, where the faulty device is exchanged for an alternative device if it cannot be repaired. Damage is rarely covered by warranty and in the case of repairs that do not fall under warranty, a $100 administration fee will be charged. Where the fault is determined to be due to a defect covered by warranty, there will be no administration charge.
The School’s accidental damage policy does not cover the loss of a laptop and all reasonable care should be taken to avoid loss. When not in use and not required during school hours, a laptop should not be left unattended. A device can be kept in a locked locker (Senior School), classroom locker (Preparatory School, unless directed differently by the classroom teacher) or in the case of a Boarding student outside of school hours, in their bedroom, as examples of reasonable care to avoid loss. In the case of a lost or stolen device, it is important that the School is notified immediately and if stolen, the police may need to be notified.
In the event of loss, the School may charge a fee up to the value of a new device. In the event of an alternative device being issued, Westminster School’s IT Services Team will provision and assign a replacement device to the student. Documents, Files and Folders backed up to OneDrive will be synchronised to the laptop, and the School’s core software will be installed. Additional software and files not backed up to OneDrive will need to be reinstalled by the student.
Westminster School will provide a protective sleeve and protective cover for the laptop. The laptop must always remain in the protective cover. New covers can be purchased from the School Uniform Shop should the provided cover be damaged. When not in use, the School strongly recommends that the laptop is stored in the protective sleeve to minimise accidental damage.
Use of the devices
Usage of the device is to be in accordance with the School ICT Policy.
Personalisation of the Laptops
As the device is owned by the school, no personalisation of the external appearance of the device is allowed.
Students will be responsible for any cleaning / maintenance required to remove any graffiti or stickers or anything else and may be charged a fee up to the value of the device if this is not adhered to.
Existing stickers and labels must not be tampered with in any way whatsoever. Students are welcome to place a sticker / nametag or something appropriate on the outside of their device case, as this is their own.
Technical Support
Technical support for the devices is provided by Westminster School’s IT Services department. The laptop is not to be taken to any third party for technical assistance except where directed by the School. While we may provide some support for home configuration (i.e. internet connections, Wi-Fi and peripherals) we cannot provide individualised support for all home circumstances. At all times, the device must be able to function completely on the School’s network, therefore any software / devices or other configuration settings that affect the device’s functionality at School must not be installed.
Backups
Westminster School provides Microsoft OneDrive for data backup and cloud storage. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that OneDrive is setup correctly and synchronising all documents, files and folders to the cloud.
Westminster School will not take responsibility for lost or corrupted work but will assist students, where possible, to recover work from Microsoft OneDrive.
Software
Westminster School will provide all core software required for the duration of the student’s schooling. This includes Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite.
Westminster School will provide all software required for any educational activity at the School, all anti-virus and anti-malware software and will make software updates available to students through our management systems. The School will also provide basic web content filtering on the devices.
Students and families are not permitted to install any additional security software on the device without the express permission of Westminster School IT Services Department, as this can interfere with the School’s security suite of products.
We encourage families to employ additional filtering on their home internet connections, if appropriate. However, the School cannot provide support in individual circumstances.
Return of Laptops
The School will notify families when the device is approaching end-of-life and is due to be replaced. When requested, or upon leaving the School, students must return their laptops to the School, unless the family has been approved to purchase the laptop in writing by the School. Returned laptops will be inspected for damage, and any necessary fees will be billed to the student's account and any failure to return the laptop will result in a replacement fee. All fees will be in accordance with the Warranty, Accidental Damage and Loss section above.