Law on teacher's resignation?

Not sure that they form a coherent group aka , the academies. Some were set up under the last gov with a fanfare and a fancy new building - sometimes the existing head was got rid of as the schools were doing badly. Some are existing successful schools that have been allowed to "go it alone" and get their funding directly from gov instead of LA. Some are failing schools that have been recently forced to become academies "with a sponsor" in other words an organisation that acts in the place of a local authority. I know of one small school that was handed over by the local authority to a sponsor because it was in a dismal state and the LA no longer have advisers etc to help it. Five years ago the LA were recruiting a big new senior team of directors and assistant directors, all on big salaries. Then the advisory team were all made redundant, quickly followed by disappearance of the new directors. i think it is down to the one director of childrens' services now and she also oversees social work.
None of the academies have radically departed from the basic teachers pay and conditions deal I suspect or the unions would have been vying to see who could scream loudest about it. I think all academy means at the moment is that they are not in the direct control of an LA. Although LA still have some responsibilities e.g. to make sure there are school places for all children.
Yes deeda it does sound like that department is in a mess - glad your SIL has made a decision he can live with.

no but i know lots of teachers who do!