Probation review template
A probation review records how a new employee is doing against the objectives set when they started: their work, conduct and attendance, the support they've had and, at the final review, the outcome: pass, extend or fail. This free Word template works for interim and final reviews, with the outcome and next steps on the last page.
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Below: how to run reviews, what each outcome involves, the UK points to check first (including the change to unfair dismissal rights on 1 January 2027), and a fictional example.
What's in the template
Probation review
| Employee | |
|---|---|
| Job title | |
| Manager | |
| Start date | |
| Probation length and end date | As stated in the contract or written statement |
| This review | Interim (month ...) or final |
| Notice during probation | Copy it from the contract before the final review |
1. Objectives set at the start
| Objective | Expected by | Progress and evidence | Met, partly met or not yet |
|---|---|---|---|
2. Conduct, attendance and timekeeping
| Area | Comments | Satisfactory? |
|---|---|---|
| Conduct and working relationships | ||
| Attendance (days absent; reasons in general terms) | ||
| Timekeeping | ||
| Mandatory training completed |
3. Support given so far
| Support (training, buddy, adjustments) | When | Effect |
|---|---|---|
4. The employee's view
- What has gone well?
- What has been harder than expected?
- What would help you most over the coming months?
5. Outcome (final review only)
- Pass: probation completed; confirm in writing and issue any new terms
- Extend: new end date, objectives and review dates below; confirm before the original end date
- Fail: probation not completed; follow the dismissal procedure and give the correct notice
| New end date, if extended | |
|---|---|
| What must improve, and by when | |
| Next review date |
6. Next steps
| Action | Owner | By |
|---|---|---|
7. Signatures
| Name | Signature | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employee | |||
| Manager | |||
| HR |
How to run probation reviews
- Set objectives in the first week, from the outcomes in the job description, and give them to the new starter in writing. Acas's examples of expectations include meeting targets and objectives, satisfactory attendance and completing mandatory training.
- Book the reviews at the start. For a six-month probation, for example: informal check-ins every week or two, formal reviews at months two and four, and the final review two to three weeks before the end date, leaving time to confirm an extension.
- Share the evidence first. Acas recommends gathering performance information and feedback and sharing it with the employee before the meeting, so they can prepare.
- Hold the review one to one and make it two-way: progress, wellbeing, what they need and any reasonable adjustments.
- Write it up and share the record after every review. If probation ends in dismissal, these notes show the support and warnings given.
- At the final review, decide, and confirm the outcome in writing. If earlier reviews were honest, it won't be a surprise.
Pass, extend or fail: what happens next
| Outcome | What to do |
|---|---|
| Pass | Confirm it in writing, with any new terms that apply after probation, such as a longer notice period or extra benefits. Keep up the regular check-ins. |
| Extend | Only where more time and support are likely to work. Agree the length, review points, what must improve and the final review date. Confirm it before the original probation ends (Acas warns that missing this could be a breach of contract) and update the written statement within one month. |
| Fail | A last resort, after support and, where it could help, an extension. Follow a fair procedure, give the reasons in writing and give the right notice. Acas says employees have a right to ask to be accompanied to meetings that could result in dismissal. |
What to check before the final review (UK)
- The contract or written statement. The written statement must say how long any probation period is and what its conditions are. Check what it says about extensions and notice.
- Notice. The employee gets at least the notice in their contract or the statutory minimum, whichever is longer. The statutory minimum is 1 week once someone has worked for you for a month, up to two years' service.
- Day one rights apply during probation, including, Acas notes, the minimum wage, paid holiday and protection against discrimination.
- Unfair dismissal from 2027. Acas says probation can still be any length, and that from 1 January 2027 protection from unfair dismissal will start after 6 months in a job. Ending probation before then "does not avoid legal risks", and six months or less may not suit every role. Today GOV.UK gives the qualifying period as normally 2 years (1 year in Northern Ireland).
- Absence. If the employee is off sick on the day of a review, rearrange it; after a long absence, consider whether it's disability-related and whether an extension is fairer.
The template doesn't replace legal advice; if a probation may end in dismissal, read the Acas guidance below in full.
Example: an extension that worked
Reviews for a customer service adviser on a six-month probation at a fictional 55-person facilities company. The employee, Jamie Ellis, is fictional.
| Objective | Month 2 | Month 4 | Final (month 5) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete product and systems training by week 6 | Met | Met | Met |
| Quality score of 85% on checked calls | 78% | 84% | 88% |
| Resolve 70% of queries at first contact | 52% | 58% | 63% |
Support: weekly call reviews with the team leader from month 2. Final review: extend by eight weeks, because quality had reached target and first-contact resolution was still rising. The letter went out a fortnight before the original end date, with the same 70% target, fortnightly reviews and a final review date. Jamie reached 72% and passed; the confirmation letter set out the longer notice period that applies after probation.
Common mistakes
- No objectives at the start, so the final review comes down to impressions.
- Leaving the final review until the last day, with no time to confirm an extension before probation ends.
- A fail that comes as a surprise because earlier reviews were too polite.
- Extending again and again instead of deciding.
- Not recording the support given, the first thing anyone looks for if a dismissal is challenged.
- Counting disability-related absence against someone without considering adjustments.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a probation period be?
There's no legal requirement to have one, and Acas says it can be any length. Pick a length that lets you see the work that matters; Acas notes that technical or specialist roles might need longer than six months for training and assessment.
Do you have to give notice if someone fails probation?
Yes, unless it's a dismissal for gross misconduct: at least the contractual notice or the statutory minimum (1 week after a month's service), whichever is longer.