The Henrietta Barnett School (HBS) in Hampstead Garden Suburb is one of the highest-performing state secondary schools in England. Year on year, more than 96% of pupils achieve A or A* at A-Level. Entry to Year 7 is fierce — fewer than 100 places offered annually from a pool of around 2,400 applicants.
How the admissions test works
HBS runs a two-stage selection:
- Stage 1 (early September Year 6) — an English and maths paper, written in CEM-blended format. Around 800 children advance.
- Stage 2 (mid-October Year 6) — a longer reasoning test (Verbal + Non-Verbal). The top ~200 are offered places (with reserve list).
The intake offer
HBS offers 100 Year 7 places per cohort. The school sits inside the Barnet local authority but has a wide catchment — pupils travel in from as far as Croydon and Watford.
What the school looks for
- Exceptional vocabulary and comprehension (the English paper is notably harder than typical 11+).
- Fast, accurate mental arithmetic.
- Strong non-verbal reasoning — Stage 2 weights NVR heavily.
- Composure under pressure (two test stages over 6 weeks is psychologically demanding).
Preparation
Children offered HBS places typically begin focused practice in Year 4 and complete 40+ full mock papers in the 12 months before the test. Quest Arena's centre-specific library includes Henrietta Barnett-style two-stage mock packs.