Many schools we’re speaking to are finding that their VLE no longer offers the flexibility, integration or long-term sustainability that they need. In recent years, we’ve seen some VLE providers be acquired, pull back on product development and – ultimately – become outpaced by more modern, cloud-based alternatives.
If you’re at the point where your VLE feels restrictive, dated or hard to maintain, this guide is for you.
We go through some of the ways Microsoft 365 is a smarter alternative to a VLE – providing a connected ecosystem where teaching, learning and administration happen in one place.
What is the difference between a VLE and Microsoft 365?
A key difference between Microsoft 365 and a legacy VLE is flexibility.
You’re not locked into a single monolithic platform, instead you can:
- Choose best-in-class tools for each need.
- Keep systems up to date more easily.
- Add or replace tools as needs evolve.
- Reduce licensing and training overheads.
By replacing individual VLE features with better integrated, cloud-based solutions, schools gain more control and greater agility to respond to future change.
Microsoft Teams for teaching and learning
It’s easy to create engaging assignments for your students in Teams.
Teams Assignments lets you manage assignment timelines, add instructions, create resources and more.
Students receive everything they need to complete their assignments and can turn in and receive feedback all from one place.
Office documents can be assigned to students via the Teams Assignments app. Each student gets their own editable copy, which they can complete and return for feedback and grading.
Meanwhile, Teams channels serve as a great digital class hub where discussion can take place, announcements and reminders can be made.
Teachers can also use it to deliver and record lessons that can be saved as revision materials.
SharePoint for structure and navigation
SharePoint pages are clean, elegant, and great for intranet-style communication hubs
There are some great use cases for SharePoint in education, particularly for building department landing pages, subject dashboards, or an intranet-style communications hub.
OneNote for topic workbooks
Teachers can create and collaborate on Topic Notebooks in OneNote and these can be copied directly into Class Notebooks and assigned to students.
This allows for a more interactive, multi-media-rich experience and ensures your resources remain centralised, consistent, and easy to update. Learners can explore Topic Notebook directly within the centralised subject areas – empowering independent learning by allowing them to choose their own additional resources and dive deeper into topics that spark their curiosity.
With the right setup, Microsoft 365 transforms the way staff and students engage with learning and with each other.
Microsoft 365 isn’t just a collection of productivity tools. When designed and delivered the right way, it becomes the foundation for a more collaborative, adaptable, and future-ready learning environment. This is especially true when paired with Cloud Design Box, whose tailored onboarding, training, and configuration services help education customers get the most from the platform, without trying to replicate legacy systems screen-for-screen.
Want to explore the full story?
Download our free eBook, Moving from Your VLE to Microsoft 365, to learn:
- Why schools are replacing outdated VLEs.
- The unique features of Microsoft 365 for education.
- How to safeguard data and meet compliance needs.
- Practical steps for migration and adoption.
