About Henrietta Barnett School


    Introduction:

    Henrietta Barnett School is a non-denominational grammar school dedicated to girls aged 11-18. It transitioned into an Academy in April 2012 and boasts a rich history, having been founded in 1911. Located amidst the serene surroundings of the Hampstead Garden Suburb, the school occupies a captivating Grade II* Listed Building designed by the renowned architect, Lutyens. HBS prides itself on fostering a warm, welcoming, and vibrant community where positive and productive relationships thrive. The school consistently ranks as one of the top state schools in the nation and enjoys an outstanding reputation both locally and nationally for its commitment to academic excellence.



    Key Facts 

    • All girls school founded in 1911.
    • Address: Henrietta Barnett School, Central Square Hampstead Garden Suburb, London NW11 7BN
    • Over 150 clubs and societies many of which are student led. 
    • Special interests: Sports, Drama, Music, Public Speaking and Debating 



    Academic Results

    GCSE Results (2023):

    • 89% of all grades achieved were Grades 8/9 or higher.
    • Over 97% of grades were in the range of Grades 7-9.
    • HBS outperformed national grade standards, surpassing results from 2021, 2020, and 2019.
    • HBS was ranked above all schools in the country (both state and independent) in The Times newspaper's league tables published on August 25, 2023.

    A Level Results (2023):

    • A* grades were 6% higher compared to 2019, reaching 35%.
    • 75% of A Level results were A* or A grades.
    • 91% of students achieved grades A*-B.
    • 28 students successfully recieved Oxbridge offers (17 to Cambridge and 11 to Oxford).


    League tables:

    1. Good School Guide (Top 10 on 'Progress 8' Scores)

    2. Parent Power Best UK School Guide (Number 1 Nationally Ranked School)

    3. BBC League Tables (Top 10 School)

    Click on above links to go to the comparison source.

    HBS reviews and feedback:

    Reviews are not verified, click on link to go to review source

    Mumsnet:

    Unfortunately I think HB is one of those ‘super selectives’ where being the cleverest or ‘top table’ at primary, just isn’t enough any more. The huge numbers of girls sitting are the reason for this. The first round, before you even get to the Maths & English papers, which is very much based on being very quick & accurate in NVR/VR has led many families to spending years practising the methods. For me, this is not really a test of natural academic ability. As said above, many families are not prepared to take on the almost change of daily family life that this involves. The equivalent boys school in the area, Queen Elizabeth’s boys School, dropped this first round requirement several years ago, instead focusing only on Maths & English ability, which some believe, has led to a change in the make up of the intake.

    I think there are positives though. Yes, many girls sit but this needs to be put into perspective. As with QE boys, some will be using it as a mock test for Independent schools and have no intention of applying to the school. Many successful girls will achieve offers from other schools and will not take up a place at HB. There are always examples of the bright girl, who was not coached within an inch of her life, who made it through and got a place. You never know, your DD might be one of those. To give her any sort of fair chance, some prep will be needed for both rounds though. Good luck!

    Read more reviews on Mumsnet

    Google:

    I love the school it has amazing kind mannered children and they are beautifully presenting things in an orderly organised manner and they have talented children and absolutely wonderful helpers and staff the best school I've seen in history. One piece of art had a 3D face all made of mirrors a year 7 child.

    Read more reviews on Google


    HBS 11 Plus Exam Pattern


    Exam pattern:

    The HBS 11Plus Exam consists of two rounds. Top 300 students are invited to Round 2.

    Round 1 Exam:

      The paper is expected to last around 50-60 minutes and follows the GL Exam pattern. 

      • Paper 1: English (25mins)
      • Paper 2: VR (20mins)
      • Paper 3: NVR (8-10mins)
      Round 1 consists of multiple choice questions. There are no Maths and Creative Writing sections in round 1. 

      Round 2 Exam:

        Round 2 is by invitation only. The school itself sets round 2 exam which consists of a maths paper and a creative writing section. 
        • Maths paper: Consists of Part A and Part B. Part A consists of standard type questions and Part B contains MCQ's (Multiple Choice Questions). Part B of the exam features negative marking.
        • Creative writing paper: Consists a passage followed by descriptive questions and a creative writing task. The total time for this section should be 30 to 40 mins to plan and write.

        1. There should be a short passage followed by two written answers. 

        2. A creative writing task like a diary entry, story, letter etc. 

        There is usually no word limit however justice must be done to the task. As a rough guide 4-6 well formed sentences, using information from the passage for passage task and at least 10-12 sentences (advisable more) on main task. Attention should be paid to the use of figurative language, good use of vocabulary and SPAG. 

          Key Admission Dates


          • 15th April 2024 - HBS registration opens.
          • 11th July 2024 - HBS Open Days
          • 12th July 2024, 5pm - HBS registrations closes
          • 19th August 2024 - Invitations to be sent
          • 3rd and 4th September 2024 - First round
          • Early October 2024 - Second round
          • 31st October 2024 - CAF to be submitted
          • 1st March 2025 - National Offer Day

          Join our 11+ WhatsApp Group


          • Regular updates & Key dates
          • Free resources 
          • Regular updates & reminders
          • Free resources
          • Supportive parent community


          Contact Sumit@oxbrigdeinstitute.co.uk if you want to join. 

          HBS Online Books Bundle


          Complete Books Bundle for HBS

          English, Maths, VR and NVR Online Books
              10 Min Books (Beginner)
              15 Minute Books (Intermediate)
              20 Minute Books (Advanced)
          All Special books

          Full price £80+


          How to prepare for HBS 11Plus Exam?


          At Oxbridge we offer a number of resources, courses and mocks to help with your 11Plus Prep.
          Ideal for students who are self-preparing or Home-preparing, our resources are custom made for success in GL, London Grammar and Private School Exams.
          We recommend the following resources:


          1.   Subject-wise courses:

          We offer subject-specific camps: English Camp, Maths Camp, NVR Camp and VR Camp. The camp are designed as one-week intensive courses focusing on key topics relevant to the 11Plus exam. These camps provide an excellent opportunity to refresh knowledge, enhance understanding, and boost confidence.
          Key features: 

          • Practice essential question types for each subject
          • Timed Quizzes
          • Access our partner resources
          • Practice over 400 questions


          2.    Online Practice Books:
          Our brand new 'online test books’ help students develop: Stamina, Speed and Accuracy. It is comprised of 3 bundles of tests for each subject (English, Maths, VR, NVR) :
          •    10-minute tests (Beginner)
          •    15-minute tests (Intermediate)
          •    20-minute tests (Advanced)
          Progression along the test series helps children develop effective time management and tackle increasingly difficult questions. Each test covers a wide range of topics, contains detailed solutions and shows ‘score analytics’ to benchmark performance.

          3.    Mock Exams
          Mock exams are a great way to prepare for the real exams. They can help you to:

          • Start revising early and avoid time wastage.
          • Improve your knowledge.
          • Familiarise yourself with the exam conditions and pressure.
          • Identify your strengths and weaknesses.

          We offer a mix of Online, In-Person and At-Home Mock exams to guide your perpetration. We highly recommend starting with mock exams six months prior to your main exam to ease into the test process.


          4.    Special Courses
          Special courses on vocabulary and courses to improve your accuracy and time-management.

          Frequently Asked Questions


          1. How competitive is entry into HBS?

          HBS is often rated as the best Girls' Grammar School and hence competition is intense. There are on average 3000 applicants for some 100 seats.

          Taking the success ratio of around 3% (100/3000) would be misleading as the 3000 applicants are also jointly competing for seats in other premier institutes example in Sutton, Tiffin etc.

          That being said the competition is intense and requires considerable hard-work and dedication.


          2. What are standardised scores?

          Most of us understand scoring systems like those used in our schools, ‘7 out of 10’ or percentage scores, e.g. 70%. Such scores, known as raw scores, are easily understandable and helpful in indicating ‘how many you got right’. However, these scores are less useful in enabling teachers to compare pupils’ performance meaningfully between one test and another and monitor progress over time. This is because raw scores do not account for factors such as:

          • Varying the difficultly of tests from year to year.

          • Varying the aptitude and number of students taking the test each year.

          These factors can make the average scores (and hence selection scores) subject to significant variations year on year. To overcome these challenges, standardised scores are used instead of raw scores as they help balance children's overall performance between years and tests. The process of standard score calculation is relatively complex. We will try and discuss the basics for interested parents and students, but the detailed mechanism is not necessary for succeeding in the exam– it all comes down to attempting questions in a considered, accurate manner and keeping pace with the speed of the test.


          3. What are age-standardised scores?

          This basically means that some of the standardised scores are increased slightly to give a small additional score to children who are younger within the year group. Such adjustments are used because in extreme circumstances there can be up to a year of difference between the ages of the children taking the test and older children naturally:    

          • Can concentrate harder and longer
          • Have a wider vocabulary than younger class-mates
          • Display greater comprehension ability
          • Are able to work quicker and with greater accuracy
          • Deal better with exam stress

          Although this may be concerning for some parents and children (and equally euphoric for others), it is worth remembering that the factor is very small and the most important parameter remains test performance by far.

          4. Is it possible to self-prep for HBS?

          Hundreds of girls self-prep (or Home prep) for HBS and other competitive schools every year. At Oxbridge Institute we aim to provide courses, online resources and mock exams to take your learning in your own hands and achieve 11Plus success. Self (Or home) prep requires tremendous committment but is the most rewarding journey for intelligent and dedicated students who choose to take this challenge.



          5. How do I know if HBS is the right choice for my family?

          Only your family can discover if HBS is the right school for your child. The competition both to get in and to stay among the top pupils in class is bound to be high but can be very rewarding in the end. We suggest attending the open day at the school (July) and going through the various sources of information available on this page and on the school website before deciding if this is the right school for your child.


          6. How to self-prepare for HBS with support from Oxbridge?

          We have a support plan for students who want to gain admission into one of the best Grammar Schools in the country.

          • Join our Weekly Test Series: Weekly English and Maths theory videos and weekly practice tests on the topic of the week. Additional resources shared on weekly basis.
          • Get our Online Books: Segregated as 10-minute (Beginner), 15-Minute (Intermediate) and 20-Minute (Advanced) Tests. Perfect practice for QE and similar exams.
          • Regular Mock Exams: Starting March 2024, we have a monthly schedule of Online and Physical Mocks. we also have At-Home Mocks for practice of past mock exams.
          • Special Courses & Revision Camps: Special courses in Vocabulary, Grammar, Maths, English, VR, NVR and Accuracy & Time Management.