Seven ready-to-send email templates and meeting scripts for the full probation period. Week 1 expectations, Month 3 check-ins (both outcomes), the written follow-up, Month 6 review, and the termination in probation meeting script.
Probation done well means three formal check-in points, Week 1, Month 3, and Month 6, with a documentation trail between each one. These templates are the emails and scripts you use at each point. Replace the placeholders in [square brackets] with your own details. Every template has a one-click copy. Scripts are for in-meeting use; the prompts in ALL CAPS mark what to say, what to listen for, and where to pause.
The first formal probation check-in. You walk through the position description, confirm role expectations, outline KPIs, and explain how probation will work. This email invites the educator to that meeting.
It sets probation as a supportive structure, not a warning. Saying out loud that Month 3 and Month 6 are coming means the educator is not surprised when those conversations happen. Asking them to read the position description ahead of time means the meeting can be a real conversation, not a read-aloud.
The Month 3 review is where probation starts to feel real. If the educator is tracking well, this email invites them into the review with an upbeat frame that still leaves room for honest feedback.
It frames the meeting as two-way, not a verdict. Mentioning specific examples signals that you are paying attention, which builds trust. Asking what is still feeling hard is an invitation, most educators will not volunteer the answer unless you ask.
Same Month 3 check-in, but with specific concerns to raise. The point of this email is to make sure the educator is not blindsided in the meeting. If they are going to hear real concerns, they should know that going in so they can think about their response.
The invite names the concern without spelling it out in writing before the meeting. Offering a support person is best practice even though it is not required. Naming the 6-month review keeps the educator anchored in the full probation picture, they can still turn it around.
This is the documentation piece. After any probation meeting where you have raised concerns, send a written follow-up the same day or next working day. It is your record, their record, and the piece that protects the service if things do not improve.
This email is the documentation. It restates what was said, what support is being offered, and what happens if the concerns are not resolved. The last line invites correction, which matters for a general protections defence later, because it shows you gave the educator a chance to respond.
The confirmation conversation. This email invites the educator to the 6-month review where you will confirm they have passed probation and set them up for the ongoing performance rhythm.
High performers rarely get the detailed positive feedback they deserve. The meeting is your chance to give it. Framing up the ongoing performance rhythm (not just "congrats, you passed") sets the educator up for the next stage and reduces the drift that can happen after probation closes.
Where probation has not worked out, this is the meeting invite that precedes the termination conversation. It names the purpose of the meeting, keeps it formal, and lets the educator bring a support person.
Naming termination as a potential outcome is non-negotiable. Without it, the educator does not know what the meeting is for, and the decision lands as a shock. That is the scenario that drives general protections claims. Offering the support person is best practice, regardless of whether they bring one.
The script for the termination meeting itself. This is not an email template. It is a messaging guide for what to say, in what order, and where to pause. Keep it short. Stick to the script. Send the termination letter from the Probation Manager tool straight after the meeting.
The script is structured so you do not drift. The pause points are the hardest part, most leaders fill silence with softeners that muddy the message. Sticking to the script keeps the decision clear, which is kinder to the educator than a vague conversation. The last step (checking in with yourself) is not optional. These conversations cost you something too.