Monday March 9th 2026
[phoro_sc cap=”Group of Glasgow children with their new iPads”]
Written by Glasgow View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Glasgow City Council, in partnership with CGI, XMA and Commsworld, has completed the citywide rollout of more than 61,000 of the latest A16 iPads to children, young people, and staff across its 30 learning communities.
The investment is part of the council’s Connected Learning 2.0 project – a forward-thinking digital strategy designed to transform learning and teaching, support positive outcomes for young people, and ensure equitable access to technology in every part of the city.
Delivered across 330 sites within an ambitious eight-month timeframe, the £23.5 million pound initiative has benefitted around 55,000 pupils and over 6,500 staff.
Alongside the new devices, significant upgrades to audiovisual infrastructure were made across the education estate, including faster internet, full Wi‑Fi coverage in every teaching area and the replacement of all legacy Apple TVs and projectors.
The transformative project provides an iPad for every learner from P6 to S6, shared devices for P1 to P5, and devices within early years settings. All teaching staff also receive an iPad, supported by a General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) recognised professional learning programme. 26,000 styluses were also issued to settings as part of the deployment.
Councillor Christina Cannon, City Convener for Education and Early Years, welcomed the first major refresh of iPads since the original Connected Learning project in 2017.
She said: “It’s been great to hear directly from our young people and staff about how valuable these devices are, and how this new iteration is unlocking even more learning opportunities. Their impact in classrooms is clear.
“Here in Glasgow, the iPad is far more than ‘just a device’, it’s a strategic tool for equity, attainment, collaboration, creativity, and professional empowerment. They support inclusive and personalised learning, enhance classroom engagement, and equip pupils with vital digital skills for the modern workplace.
“Glasgow continues to lead the way in digital education, ensuring technology benefits every learner and is seamlessly integrated across our pedagogy and vision for the city’s future.”
Lyndsey Teaz, Senior Vice-President, Consulting Services, CGI, said: “CGI is delighted to collaborate with Glasgow City Council on the roll out of Connected Learning 2.0. In 2017, we worked with the council to launch the original and hugely successful Connected Learning – one of the largest single city implementations in Europe. Over the past nine years, it has significantly supported learning for pupils and teachers in primary and secondary schools across the city, as well as raising attainment, supporting equality and inclusion, and helping prepare young people for a digital future. The completion of this latest investment to upgrade devices and digital infrastructure will provide another massive boost to Connected Learning’s ongoing goal of making education accessible to all, as well as opening up wider curriculum opportunities for learners at all levels.”
Kelvin Lee, CEO at XMA, said: “This rollout demonstrates that ambitious scale and environmental responsibility can go hand-in-hand. And by planning to prevent over one million kilograms of carbon emissions, XMA has been a part of delivering a sustainable foundation for digital learning. We are passionate about driving digital equity across Scotland and this project reflects that.”
Gavin Stewart, Service Delivery Director for Commsworld, said: “We are proud to have worked with Glasgow City Council to complete the Connected Learning 2.0 upgrade of its digital education programme. A key part of that upgrade has been Commsworld’s delivery of even more robust, resilient, and ultra-fast pure-fibre connectivity to every school in Glasgow. Commsworld has a significant track record of success in this field across the UK, and we believe that this latest improved high-speed infrastructure in Glasgow – so critical when it comes to supporting the city-wide rollout of upgraded iPads for digital learning – will enhance yet further learning for both students and teachers in the city for years to come.”
The new larger‑screened devices come with durable protective cases and pre‑installed learning applications such as Book Creator and Showbie, as well as a robust online safety filtering system.
They also offer an expanded range of accessibility tools, with dedicated support for learners with dyslexia, additional support needs, and those with English as an additional language (EAL). Features include a built‑in screen reader, Magnifier, adjustable text size and colour settings, and the ability to stream sound from the iPad’s microphone directly to compatible hearing aids.
Sustainability has also been central to the delivery refresh programme. Through an innovative reuse and recycling partnership with SKTES, the project achieved a 99.1% reuse-and-recycle rate, supporting several UN Sustainable Development Goals and preventing over 1,021,317kg CO₂e from entering the atmosphere.
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