About the project
Portsmouth: The Digital City Project began in 2020 as a response to the digital divide highlighted during lockdown. The project explored how technology could better support children’s learning across the city.
In 2021, the Digital Drive Team built on this momentum, using support from the EdTech Demonstrator Schools Programme and working closely with local Educational Technologist Gemma Gwilliam. When the national programme ended in March 2022, Portsmouth created a new strategic role — Head of Digital Learning, Education and Innovation — to continue leading the city’s digital ambitions and ensure long-term impact.
Since then, the project has evolved into a nationally and internationally recognised model for transforming education through technology. The Digital City Project Team supports schools and settings across the city (and beyond) to:
- Enhance teaching and learning
- Reduce workload
- Support accessibility and inclusion
- Narrow the digital divide
All 61 Portsmouth schools benefit from fully funded support, with options for further personalised development through Bronze, Silver, or Gold SLAs aligned to individual school improvement priorities.
The team now includes Technology Specialist Advisors, over 50 trained Digital Champions and STEM Leads, and Assistant Heads of Digital, who bring classroom expertise and leadership to support city-wide delivery.
Key strands of the project include, but are not limited to:
- Teaching and learning
- Maths and English
- Cybersecurity
- Infrastructure and technical
- Adult and further education
- Accessibility and inclusion
- STEM
- Artificial intelligence
Partnerships with external organisations extend the impact further, bringing training, innovation, and opportunity to educators and students alike.
Our vision
Our vision is that we have a shared responsibility to ensure we are using technology to:
- Enhance teaching and learning
- Reduce workload
- Support accessibility and inclusion
- Narrow the digital divide
so that every member of our community can select the right tool, for the right outcome, for them, in that moment in time.
By working collaboratively on this, we can improve outcomes for all citizens in Portsmouth (children and adults).
More information about the project is coming soon. If you have any questions, please contact Gemma Gwilliam at [email protected].
Follow us on LinkedIn for the latest updates.
Awards
- Edufuturists Innovative Project of the Year 2023
- Teach Portsmouth Innovation Award 2023
- TT Education Impactful Use of Technology 2024
- Edufuturists Skills Champion 2024
- DL100 List (Digital Leader of the Year) October 2024
- The News and Observer Apprenticeship Awards Mentor of the Year 2024
- We are Tech Women Shortlist 2024
- Women in Tech Excellence Shortlist 2024
- Pearson Silver Award Winner for Transformational use of Digital Technology 2025
- Digital Leader 100 June 2025
- Shortlisted for Computing Digital Technology Leaders Awards 2025:
- Digital Team of the Year
- Outstanding Digital Inclusion Project in collaboration with Google for Education and Canopy for Education
- Highly Commended Award for Digital Project of the Year at the Computing Digital Technology Leaders Award 2025
- Shortlisted for Central South Business Awards: Innovation of the Year 2025
- Ed Tech 50 List 2025
