Record number of Mensa members for Mayville High School in Southsea
A group of pupils from Mayville High School in Southsea, Portsmouth, some as young as 10 and 11 years of age, have joined the likes of British inventor Sir Clive Sinclair and Presenter Carol Vorderman to become members of Mensa.
The youngest, both year 6 pupils, are part of a group of 14 children who have been awarded the prestigious membership of The High IQ society.
Forty children from Mayville High School’s Gifted and Talented Programme took part in the Mensa IQ test session last term. Whilst the average IQ score is 100, membership of Mensa is only offered to anyone achieving a score in the top 2% of the population with the required score being 148. Eight of those tested found themselves in the top 3 to 4 % of the population with all of the forty achieving way above the average score.
12 year old Theo Johnson who got the highest overall score was surprised with how well he did and was happy to think how the accolade will help him in the future.
Robert Goulding, who is 11 and now a proud member of Mensa, said: “I’m probably going to forget it in a few days but I think that it will help me get into college easier.”
Mayville’s Head of English Lauren Jones, who organised the test and who also runs the school’s Senior Gifted and Talented Programme, said: “These results are really impressive and now that the pupils have been offered membership they can extend their learning outside the School.
“These pupils were already identified as Gifted and Talented at Mayville and every Wednesday we have a lunchtime club where we play logic games and engage in critical thinking. We’ve also been on a school trip to an escape room and are planning on designing our own for a local competition. Mathematics and Science also run similar clubs for our Gifted and Talented students so there is much opportunity for them.”
Rebecca Parkyn, Headteacher at Mayville High School, said: “I'm absolutely delighted with these results. For a school of our size to get 14 pupils into Mensa is an incredible achievement. It shows just how high standards are at the upper end of the ability band. Congratulations to you all!”