ðə sˈʌn əvə lˈɪvɚpˌuːl bˈæŋkɚ, bˈɑːɹnɪt wʌz ˈɛdʒuːkˌeɪɾᵻd æt lˈɪvɚpˌuːl hˈaɪ skˈuːl, lˈɪvɚpˌuːl ˈɪnstɪtˌuːt, jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi kˈɑːlɪdʒ, lˈɪvɚpˌuːl ænd tɹˈɪnᵻɾi kˈɑːlɪdʒ, kˈeɪmbɹɪdʒ, wˌɛɹ hiː tˈʊk ɐ fˈɜːst klˈæs dᵻɡɹˈiː ɪn klˈæsɪks ænd wʌz θɹˈiː tˈaɪmz ɐ wˈɪnɚɹ əvə bɹˈaʊn mˈɛdəl.
The son of a Liverpool banker, Barnett was educated at Liverpool High School, Liverpool Institute, University College, Liverpool and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he took a first class degree in classics and was three times a winner of a Browne medal.