How fast is Henrietta Barnett Round One?
Round One is fast. HBS publishes no timings or question counts, so use our drill target: about 30 to 40 seconds a question, and 25 seconds for non-verbal reasoning, and teach your daughter what to do when time runs short.
The papers
Round 1 tests English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. GL's free familiarisation booklets show the style.
What families say about pace
- Verbal and non-verbal reasoning feel extremely tight.
- Verbal reasoning can include a new question type each year.
Build pace in three steps
- Accuracy first: untimed, she explains why each answer is right.
- Then short timed sets of six to ten, checking the time per question.
- Then the last-minute plan: quick ones first, flag slow ones, cross out two options before guessing.
Never leave a blank if a wrong answer costs nothing.
A question that rewards a plan
Worked example Code it quickly
In a code, PEN is written as RGP. How is FROG written?
Answer: Each letter moves two places forward: P to R, E to G, N to P. So FROG becomes HTQI.
The trap: Guessing from the last letter alone can suggest the wrong jump. Test the rule on every letter.