School becoming an academy

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DD's school is to become an academy next year. How will that affect us? They have told us that there are more inset days, but is there a possibility that they will change uniforms etc? I'm afraid I don't know much about academies and how they work/are funded.

Multi Academy Trusts (MATs) replace the LA in the decisions they are responsible for and make.
If it is a quality MAT, you shouldn't see much difference, but some exert additional powers. Ours respect and cherish the individuality of each school and would never enforce a uniform, but others see it as creating a collective identity.
In essence, they are responsible for the management of financial, performance and teaching standards and have a duty to intervene if there is a problem. They are also responsible for their own admissions and governance. They can delegate some of their responsibilities to local schools but may also take on additional responsibilities that are often operational (eg uniform, times of school day, etc).
I would investigate the MAT they wish to join and see what their ethos is. Ask lots of questions and see how forthcoming they are with the answers

Ok, thanks! I better start reading up on them then! I think another local school is linked with the academy trust so I'll try and see how it's affected them.

It really does vary. My school recently joined a Multi Academy Trust and it genuinely had no effect from the parents angle. There are some administrative changes (not all for the good IMO but there you go) but no staffing changes, no name change, no uniform change etc. etc. The Trust actually "head hunted" us as we are such a strong school and they really wanted us "on board" - we had the choice of several trusts who "wanted us".

Another local school joined the same trust last year - they were failing and had to find a trust willing to take them on. They have had huge staff changes, a change in name and a change in uniform.