Battle of the Bands 2026

On Thursday 12th February, we were proud to see four of our schools take to the stage for the Rotherham Secondary Schools Battle of the Bands Final 2026, hosted at Rawmarsh Community School. And what an incredible celebration of talent it was!

The event marked an exciting new collaboration between Rotherham Music and Wickersley Partnership Trust as part of Signals 2026, bringing together eight schools and 13 bands from across the borough for a fantastic evening of live music.

A huge congratulations to all the talented performers who took part, and a special celebration for our Trust winners:

• KS3 Category Winner – The Metamorphosis (Thrybergh Academy)
  
  
• Overall Winner – Battle of the Bands 2026 – Brighter Than Shadows (Clifton Community School)

Brighter Than Shadows represented Clifton Community School with professionalism, confidence and outstanding musicianship. In their fantastic acceptance speech, the band truly embodied ‘The Clifton Way’, recognising and congratulating the other performers before celebrating their own success – a wonderful example of humility and character.

Thanks to Rotherham Music, they took home an incredible selection of prizes, including booked performances at Rotherham Show and Signals Festival, a professional studio recording session, this year’s trophy and a range of additional rewards. We cannot wait to see them perform on even bigger stages in the months ahead.

We would also like to recognise KS4 Category Winners The Eclipse from St Bernard’s Catholic High School, who delivered an exceptional performance.

Finally, a huge thank you to Miley, Y11 student from Rawmarsh, who was our fantastic compere for the evening. Miley ensured the event ran seamlessly, bringing energy, warmth and charisma throughout the night – a true credit to her school and to our Trust.

Events like this highlight the depth of talent, confidence and community spirit across Wickersley Partnership Trust. To have four Trust schools represented – and to bring home two major titles, including the overall win – is an achievement we are immensely proud of.