IT’S their chance to reach the first ever national finals of the Global Rock Challenge.

Six schools from Southampton, Romsey and the New Forest will battle it out in regional finals until Saturday.

The schools will take to the stage of the Portsmouth Guildhall over the coming days in the knowledge that they are just one step away from the final in July.

The regional arm of the competition is structured with two open finals and a premier final, with just one school from both open finals making the national in Sheffield.

In Saturday’s Southern Premier Grand Final five of the teams will make it through with Regent’s Park Community College in Southampton and Priestlands of Lymington taking part.

Totton College, Testwood Sports College and Woodlands Community College from Southampton as well as the Mountbatten School in Romsey take to the stage in the open finals.

The Global Rock Challenge was brought to the UK from Australia by Hampshire Constabulary in 1995.