PADI Courses in London
Everything from your first breath underwater to professional instructor training — PADI Courses all in one place.
Big Squid is a 5-star PADI dive school training in Clapham and Dulwich, South London. We run the full range of PADI courses for all levels — complete beginners, lapsed divers getting back in the water, experienced divers chasing a new specialty, and those looking to turn their career into a profession.
All our courses are run by experienced PADI professionals and can be started at any time of year. Many include a PADI eLearning component so you can complete the theory at home before getting in the water with us.
Not sure where to start? Get in touch and we’ll point you in the right direction.
BEGINNER COURSES
Start Here
New to scuba diving? These courses are designed to get you comfortable underwater, at your own pace..
No experience needed
Discover Scuba Diving
A guided taster session in a pool. No certification required — just turn up and try it. Perfect if you’re not sure scuba is for you yet.
No experience needed
Bubblemaker
A safe, fun introduction to scuba diving for children aged 8 and over. Conducted in shallow water under close instructor supervision.
No experience needed
PADI Open Water Diver
World’s most popular dive course
The starting point for most divers. Qualify to dive anywhere in the world to 18 metres. Complete the theory via PADI eLearning, then join us for pool and open water dives.
Further Courses.
Keep Going,
Already certified? These courses build on your Open Water qualification and expand what you can do underwater.
Scuba Diving Refresher
Been out of the water for a while? Our refresher gets your confidence and skills back up to speed quickly, safely, and without fuss.
PADI ReActivate
PADI’s official refresher programme. Includes an eLearning review followed by a pool session with one of our instructors.
Next step after Open Water
PADI Advanced Open Water
Five adventure dives covering deep diving, navigation, and more. Extends your depth limit to 30 metres and opens up a wider range of dive sites.
Highly recommended
PADI Rescue Diver
One of the most rewarding courses you’ll do. Learn to anticipate and manage problems in the water — for yourself and for others.
Speciality Courses
Focus on the diving you love. Each speciality course is a standalone qualification that adds to your PADI record.
Enriched Air Nitrox
Use oxygen-enriched air to extend your bottom time and reduce surface intervals. One of the most practical specialities you can add
Dry Suit Diver
Essential for UK diving. Learn to dive in a dry suit and stay warm through every season — including at Swanage, Portland, and Vobster Quay.
Peak Performance Buoyancy
The course every diver should take at some point. Master neutral buoyancy, improve air consumption, and protect the reef.
Wreck Diver
Explore shipwrecks safely and properly. Covers navigation, penetration guidelines, and the skills needed to get the most from UK wreck diving.
Deep Diver
Extend your diving to 40 metres. Learn to manage the effects of depth, plan deep dives, and use a dive computer effectively.
Navigation
Underwater navigation using a compass and natural references. A genuinely useful skill for any diver who wants to explore rather than just follow the guide.
Night Diver
Diving after dark is an entirely different experience. This course teaches you to plan and execute night dives safely.
SMB Specialty
Learn to deploy a surface marker buoy confidently — a vital safety skill for any diver, particularly in UK open water.
Sidemount
Carry your cylinders at your side rather than on your back. Increasingly popular for both recreational diving and cave or overhead environments.
Digital Underwater Photography
Get better shots on every dive. Covers composition, lighting, and camera settings specifically for the underwater environment.
Search & Recovery
Plan and execute search patterns, and use a lift bag to recover objects from depth. Practical skills with real-world applications.
Equipment Specialist
Understand your gear inside and out. Learn routine maintenance, basic repairs, and how to set up and care for your equipment properly.
First Aid Courses
Be Prepared
Required for Rescue Diver
Emergency First Response
CPR and first aid training designed for divers and non-divers alike. Internationally recognised and valid for two years.
EFR Care for Children
Extends your EFR qualification to cover paediatric emergency response — useful for parents, teachers, and anyone working with children.
EFR Instructor
Qualify to teach Emergency First Response courses. A requirement for PADI Assistant Instructor and above.
Make It Your Career.
Professional Courses
Ready to go pro? Big Squid offers the full PADI professional development pathway, from Divemaster through to Instructor.
First pro qualification.
PADI Divemaster
The first professional level in PADI’s system. Assist instructors, guide certified divers, and begin your career in the dive industry.
Assistant Instructor
The bridge between Divemaster and full instructor status. Start teaching certain elements of PADI courses under supervision.
Open Water Scuba Instructor
Full PADI instructor status. Qualify to teach PADI courses up to and including Divemaster independently.
IDC Staff Instructor
Assist in the training of new instructors. A key step for those aiming towards Course Director level.
Specialty Instructor Training
Extend your teaching credentials across specific PADI speciality courses — valuable for instructors looking to broaden their offering.
Go Further
Technical Diving Courses
For experienced divers ready to move beyond recreational limits. Our Tec courses follow the PADI Tec programme.
Entry-level tec
Tec 40
The first step into technical diving. Learn decompression procedures and dive with a single stage cylinder to 40 metres.
Tec 45
Extends technical diving to 45 metres with multiple gas mixtures and more complex decompression planning.
Tec 50
Advanced technical diving to 50 metres. Multiple decompression gases, twin sets, and full mission planning procedures.
Freediving Courses
No tanks, no noise — just you and the water. PADI freediving courses for all levels.
Basic Freediver
An introduction to breath-hold diving. Pool-based sessions covering technique, safety, and the fundamentals of equalisation.
PADI Freediver
The core freediving qualification. Covers static apnea, dynamic apnea, and free immersion — pool and open water dives included.
Advanced Freediver
For those ready to push further. Deeper dives, extended breath-hold times, and more advanced rescue techniques.