IT at QMC

The College IT Office is open daily from 8am–4pm.

Our IT staff are on-hand to support with connection issues and printing support but are unable to perform hardware repairs. If you wish to contact our ICT Centre, please contact it@qmc.school.nz.

Laptop Requirements and Recommendations

Laptop Requirements

Due to the requirements of certain courses, QMC recommends that students’ laptops meet certain the following specifications to ensure they function effectively:

• Processor: Minimum Intel i5
• Memory: At least 8GB RAM (16GB preferred)
• Operating System: Windows 11 or macOS v15 and above
• Battery Life: Must last a full school day (5–6 hours)
• Screen Size: Minimum 11″ display (noting that larger screens may improve eye comfort)

Laptop Recommendations

Laptops that are recommended by QMC can be purchased through our IT partner, Cyclone. Please click here to view the suitable options.

Devices Not Suitable
Chromebooks, Android tablets, iPads, and laptops with eMMC storage are not recommended due to significant software limitations.

Insurance

Parents and caregivers should ensure that devices are covered under their home insurance arrangements. Students should have their own padlock (for their lockers), and all students and parents must read and sign the College’s Network Acceptable Usage Policy.

Administrator Access
To install subject-specific software (e.g., Paint.net, MuseScore, Notepad++, Lego Mindstorm), IT must have access to an account with administrator rights. While students may have admin access, if this is not preferred, IT must still be able to install necessary software when required.

QMC and Microsoft 365
QMC is a Microsoft 365 school. Students can download Office 365 onto their laptops upon starting at QMC. Microsoft Teams, OneNote, and Office 365 are essential tools for learning and teaching at school.

Student laptop responsibilities

Students should be aware of the expectations that come with using laptops. These responsibilities include:

• Bringing their laptop to school every day
• Ensuring that their laptop is fully charged each morning (The are no charging stations on-site).
• Understand internet safety, ethics and responsible digital citizenship, which will be addressed throughout each year.

Student Mobile Phones and Headphones

Mobile phones and headphones are not to be used during the school day or at school events. We ask students to leave these at home, or switch to silent mode and leave them in their locked lockers. Some students may be eligible to use headphones at school.

See Digital Device Expectations and Headphone Use Guidelines 2026 for the most up-to-date expectations for digital devices and headphones at QMC. This page outlines what use is permitted, what use is not permitted and the consequence of incorrect use.

Significant research shows that limiting phone use during school hours promotes positive academic and wellbeing outcomes. Not only are students more engaged in their learning, but it also encourages healthy social interactions.