Students have been receiving mock exam feedback and in Monday's briefing I encouraged them to implement it immediately, citing Cristiano Ronaldo as an excellent example of how to channel it. Many of you know I enjoy football, and whilst I am not a Manchester United fan, I do recognise and respect the incredible talent that is Ronaldo! What impresses me most is that while he was clearly a talented 12-year-old footballer, he was told he was too skinny and not strong enough to succeed. And yet at 37 he can still win games, almost single-handedly, for his team.

“Blood, toil, and sweat” are the main principles Ronaldo lives by. His work ethic, motivation and drive set him apart from the rest; his belief system and desire to become the greatest footballer in history means he is always pushing himself harder to stay one step ahead of everyone else. It is this ‘elite mentality’ that makes him different and puts him alongside the greats like Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Lionel Messi, Michael Phelps and the rest. Ronaldo is willing to put in the extra time to train and practice, intent on mastering his sport. Even after winning the Champions League or the Ballon D’or, he is the first in the gym or practising free kicks on the training field early the next morning. 

He is exceptionally brilliant and one of the most hardworking athletes the world has witnessed. He has unshakable self belief and supreme self-confidence which contribute significantly to the consistently high quality performances he produces, especially when others seem to doubt him.

Feedback is the ongoing information our subject teachers regularly give to students about their performance in relation to their SMART targets. The purpose of this feedback is to facilitate improvement in students' learning experience and results, it redirects and refocuses them as they strive to achieve their goals. Parents of Year 13 students heard informative feedback from subject teachers at Parents Evening this week designed to empower them as they aim to achieve the grades needed, and Year 12 parents can expect the same on Tuesday 29 March. Confidence, self belief, seeing progress and achieving specific learning goals will increase the elite mentality in our students and ensure they optimise their learning experience and their outcomes.

On another note, I thought you might like ‘feedback’ on where the items you donated last Friday are now. The British Red Cross sorted, boxed and loaded the goods onto trucks which set off for Ukraine last Saturday. Thanks again and enjoy the weekend.