Hundreds of parents, their children, teachers and local representatives will march to Gorey Community School today to protest at what they see as exclusion from enrolling in the school.
Pupils from Monaseed, Ballyfad, Coolgreany, Ballygarret and Monamolin national schools are hoping to enrol at Gorey, despite instructions from the Department of Education that the school should accept only students from inside the catchment area.
Gorey, one of the largest community schools in Ireland, already faces overcrowding problems with almost 1,800 pupils, teachers and staff. It was built to cater for 900 students.
The Minister for Education, Mary Hanafin, has identified the school's traditional catchment area as a main cause of overcrowding.
Admissions were accepted from Loreto Primary School, Christian Brothers Primary, Gorey Central and Gorey Gaelscoil in Gorey, as well as Riverchapel, Kilanerin, Tara Hill, Ballycanew, Craanford, Ballyoughter, Castletown, Camolin, Clologue, Ballyduff, Coolgreany, Monaseed, Ballythomas, Ballygarret, Ballyfad and Monamolin Primary Schools.
But the Department said Monaseed, Ballyfad, Coolgreany, Ballygarret and Monamolin national schools were outside Gorey Community School's catchment area, and pupils from these schools should get their secondary education elsewhere - most likely in either Arklow or Kilmuckridge.
Exceptions have been made for pupils with siblings already attending the Gorey school.
The chairperson of the recently formed Ballygarrett Education Action Group, Josephine Gahan, says Ms Hanafin cannot make a decision on the community school without hearing the case of the people affected by it.
The closing date for enrolments to Gorey Community School for next year is March 31st.
Parents of children attending the affected schools, and their teachers, along with public representatives and supporters, will march down Gorey Main Street today from 10.30am intending to enrol the children.