Probation Review & Extension Template 2026

A new team member is coming to the end of their probation and they are not quite there yet. Not bad enough to let go — but not ready to confirm either. You believe they can get there with more time and the right support. The question is: how do you extend probation correctly, fairly, and in a way that protects the practice if the relationship ultimately doesn't work out?

The Probation Review & Extension Template 2026 is a structured, legally sound checklist and review template for Practice Managers to use when a team member is not meeting the required standard during probation. Covering the legal foundation, a pre-review checklist, a scored performance assessment, a ready-to-sign extension letter, and a final outcome record — everything needed to manage a probation extension correctly, from the decision to extend through to the end-of-extension outcome.

The template is structured across 5 parts:

Part 1 — Before You Use This Template The legal foundation every PM must confirm before extending probation. The right to extend must already exist in the team member's contract of employment — this section explains exactly what to check and what to do if the contract is silent on extension. Includes clear guidance on when extension is the right call (genuine effort, specific and closable gap, willingness to provide support) and when it is not (no meaningful improvement, conduct or attitude issues, outcome unlikely to change with more time). If extension is not the right call, this section directs the PM to the Resolve Termination & Dismissal Guide instead.

Part 2 — Pre-Review Checklist A 10-point checklist to complete before the review meeting — confirming the contractual right to extend, gathering specific dated evidence of performance gaps, reviewing previous feedback and coaching already provided, considering mitigating factors, drafting the proposed new end date and improvement targets, and booking a private room. Ensures the decision to extend is based on evidence and that the process is procedurally fair before the conversation happens.

Part 3 — Probation Performance Assessment A scored assessment template to complete during or immediately before the review meeting. Rates the team member across 7 areas — technical skills and role competency, punctuality and reliability, patient communication, team communication, initiative and problem-solving, compliance with practice standards, and cultural fit and attitude — on a 1 to 5 scale. Includes space for specific dated examples of performance gaps, support and coaching already provided, and confirmation that clear documented feedback was given before the review.

Part 4 — Decision Record and Extension Letter A formal decision record covering three possible outcomes — confirm employment, extend probation, or end employment — with the extension option requiring a new end date, specific measurable improvement targets, and additional support to be provided. Includes a ready-to-use extension letter template on practice letterhead, covering the original probation end date, the specific areas requiring further development, the new end date, the support to be provided, and the targets to be met. Includes the critical instruction: always give the letter in person during the review meeting and follow up by email the same day. Verbal-only extensions are far harder to rely on if a dispute arises.

Part 5 — Final Outcome Record Completed at the end of the extension period — whether the improvement targets were met, the evidence and comments, and the final decision: confirm employment or end employment. Includes the important reminder that probation cannot be extended indefinitely — most contracts permit only one extension, and repeated extensions without resolution increase legal risk and are rarely fair to either party.

Who this is for: Practice Managers who need to extend a team member's probation and want a structured, documented process that is procedurally fair and legally sound. Practice Owners who want confidence that probation decisions are being made on evidence, communicated in writing, and recorded correctly. Any practice that has previously extended probation verbally or informally — and wants a better process for next time.

📄 Format: 7-page editable Microsoft Word document (.docx) — complete the practice-specific fields and use the assessment, decision record, and extension letter for each individual probation event. The final outcome record is completed at the end of the extension period. General guidance only — not legal advice. For any probation extension involving a team member who has raised a grievance, disclosed a health condition, or taken leave, seek advice from a solicitor or HR specialist before proceeding.

⬇️ Instant digital download — available immediately after purchase

🦷 Built for Australian dental practices — references the Fair Work Act 2009, the National Employment Standards, the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020, and the unfair dismissal jurisdiction of the Fair Work Commission