Norwich High School for Girls is proud to celebrate the achievements of our dedicated classics teacher, Miss Aine McMenamin, who recently advanced to the semi-finals of BBC’s Mastermind. Choosing an unexpected but very modern specialist subject – pop sensation Taylor Swift – Miss McMenamin’s participation has generated great excitement within our school community.

A committed educator and quiz enthusiast, Miss McMenamin meticulously prepared for the challenge by immersing herself in Swift’s discography, analyzing lyrics and studying biographical details. “I watched the Eras Tour film, made detailed notes and listened carefully to every song,” she shared. Miss McMenamin acknowledged that her choice of specialist subject may have surprised people, saying “When I told people I chose Taylor Swift as my subject, a lot of them were surprised because of my job. I really wanted to pick something different from classics, so I could have something different going on.”

Mastermind’s distinctive setting, with its iconic black leather chair and intense questioning, added to the high-pressure atmosphere. Miss McMenamin recalled childhood memories of watching the show and once referring to it as “The Scary Chair Show.”

Despite the tension, she successfully answered a question about Swift’s aptly named hit “Mastermind,” and went on to earn an impressive 19 points overall. Her deep knowledge of the renowned singer-songwriter shone through, particularly her appreciation for Swift’s lyricism.

Miss McMenamin, who also leads our school’s general knowledge club, was particularly relieved to correctly respond to a classics-related question during the general knowledge round. “When the question about a Greek word came up, I had a moment of concern, but thanks to Clive Myrie’s etymological hint, I pieced it together,” she explained.

Over the half term break, Miss McMenamin said she was overwhelmed by the supportive messages from colleagues and students. While keeping her semi-final specialist subject a secret, Miss McMenamin has revealed it will be something “more high brow”.

Miss McMenamin says her experiences of quizzing have shown how competition in a supportive setting can be transformative and she has used this experience to shape our Academic Scholarship programme at Norwich High School for Girls. She aimed to foster a culture where learning is both enjoyable and challenging, encouraging scholars to explore beyond the traditional curriculum.

A key example of this is the Scholars’ Challenge, inspired by University Challenge – another show Miss McMenamin herself has competed on. This competition features mixed-year teams of four or five students facing off in a general knowledge quiz during manageable lunchtime sessions.

Believing that learning extends beyond the classroom, Miss McMenamin encourages curiosity and resilience. “I want scholars to take pride in their knowledge, embrace curiosity and understand that mistakes are part of learning,” she says.

Miss McMenamin truly embodies this curiosity and resilience and we can’t wait to watch her take to the chair again in the next round of Mastermind. Good luck Miss McMenamin!