Microsoft Teams has become the digital home for teaching and learning in tens of thousands of UK schools – a single, familiar platform where teachers can set work, students collaborate, and learning resources are shared.
But when it comes to keeping parents informed, many schools still face a challenge. How can families get clear, up-to-date visibility of homework and assignments without adding extra systems or admin for staff?
That’s where Haldor Homework, fully integrated with Microsoft Teams – and available via Cloud Design Box – comes in. It helps schools give parents the visibility they need – without disrupting the way teachers already work in Microsoft 365.
For many schools, Microsoft Teams has become the digital hub of teaching and learning – a powerful tool that keeps classes, assignments and collaboration in one place.
But, when it comes to keeping parents in the loop, there’s a gap.
In this guide, we explore how schools and bridge this gap.
Sharing homework with parents in Microsoft 365 – the challenge
Many schools find themselves facing a similar set of challenges when using Microsoft Teams for homework and parental engagement.
Parents cannot see homework or assignments
Teams doesn’t provide parental visibility into assignments, meaning families are often unaware what tasks have been set, or when they’re due.
This creates a disconnect between school and home. Parents and guardians can’t easily support their children, and teachers find themselves fielding questions or sending manual updates to fill the gap.
Manual data management is time consuming and risky
In many schools, the process of keeping parent data up to date is still manual. IT teams are required to export and import spreadsheets between systems to make sure the right contacts are synced.
This not only takes valuable time but introduces the serious risk of data inaccuracies and security breaches.
If a parent’s details change, – for example, following a family separation or custody update – that information needs to be reflected everywhere immediately.
Students struggle to stay on top of homework
It’s common for students to lose track of deadlines or forget to complete assignments, especially when homework is written down in planners or split across multiple platforms.
When Teams is used inconsistently or in isolation, students don’t have a single clear view of what’s due and when. That lack of visibility can quickly lead to missed deadlines and unnecessary stress.
Engagement is hard to measure
Even when schools provide parents with logins for third-party platforms, it’s difficult to know whether those systems are actually being used.
Some parents engage enthusiastically at the start of the school year, then drop off as time goes on. Others may struggle with login details or simply not know where to look for updates.
Data protection risks lurk beneath the surface
When parental data isn’t automatically maintained, is outdated or incorrect, access can lead to safeguarding risks.
For example, if a parent should no longer have access to a child’s information but still appears in a third-party system, that’s a serious breach of GDPR and child protection policy.
Manual processes make this easy to overlook.
The solution: Cloud Design Box and Haldor Homework
Cloud Design Box automates class and parent data from the school MIS into Microsoft 365.
Haldor uses that synced data to deliver seamless parent access to student assignments and progress.
When the two systems come together, schools get the best of both worlds – automation and engagement.
Automation, accuracy and insight for SLT and IT teams in schools
Automation means schools can trust data is always current and compliant:
Automated data sync
Parental and class data flow directly from your MIS to Microsoft 365, removing the need for manual exports or spreadsheet management.
Data protection compliance
Automated updates ensure the right parents have access to the right information, helping maintain GDPR and safeguarding standards.
Central oversight
Leadership teams can monitor parent engagement – you know exactly who has logged in, when they last logged in and if they’re engaging.
Reduced workload
With automated Teams creation, permissions, and parent data syncing, IT teams may be able to save hours every term, freeing them to focus on strategic priorities.
A simple way for teachers to connect with parents and guardians
Teachers turn up and teach, the system takes care of the rest:
No change to teacher workflow
Teachers continue using Teams assignments as normal, while Haldor automatically makes that information visible to parents.
No duplication of work
There’s no need for teachers to retype or upload homework instructions into a separate system or send manual updates.
Better communication
Teachers can add the Parent Engagement tab to their Class Team to see which parents are engaging with homework and progress.
Time saving
Every assignment, rubric and piece of feedback shared in Teams instantly appears for parents, saving hours of repetitive admin each week.
Transparency and inclusion for parents and guardians
Parents can actively support their child’s learning:
Clear homework visibility
Parents can see all their child’s Teams assignments, due dates, attachments and feedback in one simple view.
One login for all students
Families with multiple children can toggle between students in the same account.
Easy access
Parents log in using the email already registered with the school, no Microsoft account required.
nclusive design
Immersive Reader allows parents to translate text, have it read aloud or apply dyslexia-friendly colours and fonts.
Mobile friendly
Whether on a phone, tablet or laptop, Haldor provides an intuitive experience for busy families on the go.
Organisation and accountability for students
Consistent experience
Assignments are all visible in Teams – there’s no confusion about where to find homework.
Improved support
With parents aware of deadlines and teacher feedback, students are better supported at home.
Less duplication
No need to write tasks in planners or track work across multiple systems.
Confidence and clarity
Students know exactly what’s due and when, building independence and responsibility.
Ready to get started?
Cloud Design Box automates Teams and syncs parental data, and Haldor makes it visible in a way that just works – giving everyone a joined-up experience in Microsoft 365.
