The council has reached an agreement with the Department of Education and Skills to submit an "expression of interest" for the three schools.

The schools earmarked for city academy status are Priory LSST, Joseph Ruston Technology College and the City School.

A teachers' union has opposed the move, saying the schools would not necessarily improve education.

'Badly considered'

If the bid is successful, the schools would be controlled by a trust backed by local business investment.

The government is proposing more academics across the country in a bid to introduce more independent control and higher educational standards.

Sir Peter Vardy, who has helped created colleges in Gateshead, Middlesbrough and Doncaster, said the city academies in Gateshead had forced others schools to "raise their game".

The proposed chief executive of the three academies, Richard Gilliland, said: "If it gets approval this would provide state-of-the-art schools for the south of Lincoln.

"The early indication is that there is genuine support among the business community."

However, National Union of Teachers (NUT) spokesman Bev Marshall said the idea was "a real leap in the dark", as it would be complicated to set up links between three secondary schools.

He said the concept was "badly thought through" and would not have the support of teachers and parents.