A 12-year-old Luton schoolgirl’s results in a recent Mensa test has put her in the top 1 percent of the population.
The youngster notched up 161 on the Cattell B scale - 13 more than the 148 needed to join the elite society for those with a high IQ (intelligence quotient).
She also rattled up an impressive 159 on the Culture Fair scale – the Mensa benchmark is 132. This is a non-verbal test designed to assess intelligence without relying on knowledge specific to any individual cultural group.
Her proud mum said: “I knew my daughter was very bright from early on. She spoke early, and read and wrote early.
“She’s always enjoyed puzzles and thought the Mensa test would be fun to do.
“I thought it would be useful for me to know too, so that I could support her and see that she gets the right mental stimulation.
“She was thrilled with the result but is quite shy and wouldn’t want anyone to know how well she’s done. I’d hate her to be bullied or teased at school.”
Mensa boss John Stevenage said: “Her score shows that she has great potential.”