The Henrietta Barnett School 11 plus 2026

The Henrietta Barnett School 11 plus route often feels both exciting and daunting at the same time. It is one of the most academically selective girls’ schools in North London, and the process feels serious because it combines school-based testing with the local authority application system. The school is based in Hampstead Garden Suburb in the London Borough of Barnet, an area designed around a village-style layout, with a background explained by the Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust.

What usually helps families most is clarity rather than intensity. Understanding the order of events early makes it easier to plan preparation calmly and realistically. This blog focuses on The Henrietta Barnett School admissions process for September 2026 entry, with a clear look at how the stages fit together and how to support your child without adding unnecessary pressure.

A simple planning structure helps many families stay organised: 11 plus application plan for London families.

Overview

Basic establishment details, such as school type and age range can be checked through Get Information About Schools.

Process

The admissions journey works best when you think of it as two parallel tracks.

One track covers the school’s selection process. The other track is the local authority application route, which applies to all schools.

School steps

The Henrietta Barnett School entrance exam follows a two round structure. Progression to the second round depends on performance in the first.

Round one assesses Verbal Reasoning, Nonverbal Reasoning, and English.
Round two assesses English and Mathematics.

Preparation tends to work best when children are comfortable with question format as well as content. This is particularly true for multiple-choice papers. The familiarisation materials on GL Assessment familiarisation are often used by families to build confidence with the layout and timing.

Local authority steps

Alongside school testing, families must submit the Common Application Form through their home local authority. Barnet sets out the full process, deadlines, and what happens on offer day on its official secondary transfer page. Applications for most London boroughs are submitted through eAdmissions.

A common source of stress is treating test registration and the CAF as one task. They are separate, with separate deadlines, and both must be completed correctly.

This checklist helps keep the admin side simple: secondary application checklist.

Preference order

Families often worry about how to rank schools. The calm approach is to list schools in genuine order of preference. The equal preference rules that protect families are set out in the statutory School Admissions Code, available as an official PDF on assets publishing service.

Dates

The most important planning point is that school testing takes place in the same season as the CAF deadline. This is why preparation usually needs to be underway before September of Year 6.

Catchment and appeals

Questions about catchment usually come down to two practical issues. How address rules are applied, and whether the daily journey is manageable.

Barnet explains clearly how it treats home address evidence and timing. Reading that section carefully helps avoid surprises later. It also helps to think about the commute early. One practice journey can make a big difference to confidence. Many families use TfL journey planning to check routes and timings.

If a place is refused, families have the right to appeal. Appeals are structured and evidence based rather than a re sit of the exam. The government overview on appealing a school admission decision explains what panels can and cannot consider.

Interview

For Year 7 entry, preparation is usually focused on academic assessments rather than interview practice. Even without an interview stage, confidence still plays a role. Children tend to perform better when they can read instructions calmly, manage time, and stay composed after a difficult question.

A simple but effective habit is reading each question twice before answering. It reduces avoidable mistakes.

Prepare

The aim of preparation is reliability, not perfection. Small, regular habits usually bring better results than long, intense sessions. Keeping the tone steady at home matters as much as the work itself.

A simple structure that many families find manageable is outlined here: 11 plus weekly routine that protects confidence.

Year 4

Year 4 is about building foundations.

1. Daily reading for enjoyment, followed by a short discussion about meaning or inference. The National Literacy Trust family zone offers practical ideas.
2. Maths fluency, including number bonds, times tables, fractions basics, and mental calculation.
3. One short writing task each week, focusing on clear sentences and structure.

Year 5

Year 5 is where structure becomes more important.

1. Two short English sessions each week for comprehension and vocabulary in context.
2. Two short maths sessions covering arithmetic and multi step reasoning.
3. One short reasoning session to practise careful elimination and checking.

Free, structured lessons can help maintain consistency. Oak National Academy English is a useful reference point.

A sensible Year 5 11 plus revision plan is simple and repeatable. Three to four short sessions a week are often enough when review is thoughtful.

Year 6

Year 6 focuses on stamina and calm accuracy.

1. Timed practice is introduced gradually, not in every session.
2. Mistake analysis becomes central. Understanding why an error happened matters more than the score.
3. One or two full mock sessions help practise the routine rather than judge ability.

For stretch style maths reasoning, the UK Mathematics Trust junior challenges overview shows the type of thinking that can be helpful. This sits on UKMT Junior Challenges.

A clear review process supports progress: 11 plus practice papers and mistake analysis.

As a clear starting point, you can book a free 11 plus diagnostic session with Find Your Tutor focused on The Henrietta Barnett School. It benchmarks your child’s current level and gives you a personalised preparation roadmap for the months ahead.