Digital Innovation

As the 21^st Century is characterised by rapidly changing technology it is imperative that students acquire the following ICT skills.

• Critical thinking and problem solving
• Communication and collaboration
• Digital, information, media, visual and cultural literacy

The ICT programme is designed to equip students with the skills they need to become competent users of ICT. At each year level, the ICT skills will be tailored to complement and support the curriculum being delivered by the classroom teacher.

The value of using ICT in the curriculum is that it:

• Motivates and engages students
• Increases interaction and discussion about learning objectives
• Makes repetitive tasks more interesting
• Provides access to new software, vast resources and information
• Enables creative publishing
• Develops digital citizenship and cyber safety
• Makes connections with home and community
• Enables tailoring of individual programmes
• Extends learning

Our BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) programme begins in Year 5, where students have the option to bring their own digital device. We take a blended approach to learning, using both non-device and digital methods depending on the learning design and the needs of learners.

Year 5 students begin the year without laptops.
Before bringing a device to school, they complete KingsWay’s rigorous Digital Citizenship programme, which equips them to use technology safely, responsibly, and in alignment with our Christian character. This programme is completed towards the end of Term 1, after which students may begin bringing their laptops to school.

Year 6 students complete a refresher Digital Citizenship programme early in the year to reinforce safe, responsible, and effective digital learning practices. Once completed, they begin using their laptops as part of a blended approach, with digital tools used only when they meaningfully support the learning.

A more detailed overview is also provided in the End-of-Year Parent Information Letter, which we encourage you to revisit for clarity and reassurance.

Please read our BYOD Brochure for all the digital details and specifications:

BYOD Brochure

All students using digital devices at school need to read and sign our responsible use agreement form:

Cyber Safety Agreement

Using Computers At Home

Responsible digital habits are developed through consistent guidance both at school and at home. KingsWay teaches safe and responsible computing practices, and we encourage whānau to partner with us in supporting these skills.

To help your child use digital technologies wisely, we recommend the following strategies:

• Stay actively involved in your child’s online activity
  Talk regularly about what they are doing online, what websites or apps they use, and who they are communicating with.
• Keep devices in shared family spaces
  Encourage device use in open areas of the home rather than bedrooms. This naturally supports good habits and safe choices.
• Use family-friendly filters and settings
  Enable parental controls, safe-search options, and age-appropriate filters on home networks and devices. Many internet providers offer these tools at no extra cost.
• Set clear expectations and routines
  Agree on when and where devices can be used, including appropriate limits around gaming and online entertainment.
• Monitor communication channels
  Keep an eye on messaging apps, collaborative platforms, and online chats. Encourage your child to tell you if something makes them uncomfortable.
• Avoid all social media use
  We strongly recommend no social media use at all for Primary-aged students. Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat have legal age restrictions (13+), and younger children are not developmentally ready to manage the risks associated with these environments.
• Teach them what to do in difficult situations
  Help your child know how to respond to unsafe content, unwanted contact, or online conflict—block, report, and talk to a trusted adult.
• Model healthy digital habits
  Children learn from what they see. Demonstrating balance, discernment, and kindness online reinforces the values we teach at school.

Together, these practices help students develop the wisdom, self-management, and integrity needed to participate confidently and safely in the digital world.