I am not happy with the wording of my reference

[rumblefish]

I started a new job and I was on 6 month probation. I had review meetings once a month and there were a few targets I needed to meet which I did. There was one area I needed to improve on which I was making progress.

I was called in to a meeting with no warning what the meeting was about and told that I hadn't passed my probation period and was given 4 weeks notice the reason I didn't pass my probation period was because of this one area that I needed to improve on they didn't think I had made enough progress.

I worked my 4 week notice and registered with an agency and asked my line manager for a reference which she said she would. When I called the agency to see if it had arrived they wanted to discuss what it said so I asked for a copy and I am not happy with the wording. The agency said not to worry about it and if I get a long term position I wont have to use them as a reference. I was wondering if I can challenge the reference. I worked in a school and someone suggested going to the governers.

Is it factually inaccurate or you would just prefer different wording?

Mine simply says Ronald worked as xxxxx for 8 yrs from blah to blah.
That is all my old co supply.

Perhaps you could request that type of ref?

At the meeting when I was told I hadn't passed my probation period they told me it was the one target I hadn't meet but in the reference it sounds as if there were a number of targets I didn't meet.

As I had no warning of what the meeting was about and no additional person with me to witness the meeting it would be my word against theirs. I have worked in a number of schools and I have never felt under so much stress, I have been left questioning my abilities and even me as a person. I felt my face did not fit from day one.

But is the reference factually inaccurate or not? If it says you didn't meet x y z targets but you in fact did, then that's factually inaccurate.

Tbh if it's saying you didn't meet any targets, factual or not, I'd be asking for a basic one like Ronald's instead anyway. A basic confirmation of dates is better than a bad reference IMO.