The John Bramston School in Witham will submit its expression of interest to the Department for Children, Schools and Families on October 9.
If government officials give it the go-ahead, the process of moving towards academy status will begin by December and the school will be re-launched as an academy next September.
School governors and Essex County Council have already given their blessing to the project, which would see John Bramston link up with Greensward College in Hockley and become the first academy in the country to be outside an urban environment.
Principal Mike O'Sullivan said: "I am delighted that the governors have decided to pursue an expression of interest because I am convinced that academy status is the best way to secure and sustain improvements at the John Bramston School."
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