PADI Open Water Diver
The course that makes you a diver.
You don’t need to be a strong swimmer, an athlete, or particularly brave. You need to be reasonably well, comfortable getting your face wet, and willing to be a beginner for a few days.
It is the world’s most recognised diving qualification, which in practice means the card works wherever you turn up with it — Egypt, Cornwall, a flooded quarry in Somerset. It doesn’t expire, though most centres will want you to refresh if you have been out of the water a long while.
We teach the pool sessions at Halo Highworth and the four qualifying dives at Vobster Quay, in small groups, at the pace each student actually needs. Wiltshire Scuba is a PADI 5 Star IDC with a Course Director on site — the rating held by people who train instructors, not just divers.
£549 · minimum age 10 · no experience needed
What Actually Happens
Three parts, in this order.
PADI eLearning, at home. The theory, at your own pace, before you get anywhere near the water. Most people spread it over a couple of weeks.
Pool sessions at Halo Highworth. Where the skills are actually learned — clearing a mask, sharing air, holding your position in the water — somewhere warm, shallow and forgiving, with an instructor an arm’s length away.
Four qualifying dives at Vobster Quay. The same skills again in open water, and then some proper diving. Pass these and you’re certified.
Finish this course with us and your first twelve months of the Wiltshire Scuba Dive Club are included — free air fills, discounted servicing, and people to go diving with. The hard part of learning to dive is not the course; it is still diving a year later. What the Club includes.
Skills get repeated until they feel right rather than ticked off — repeating something within a session costs nothing, and small classes are what make that possible. If you need extra sessions beyond the course, we’ll tell you what that costs before you book them.
Your PADI Open Water Diver certification is recognised internationally, allowing you to hire equipment and dive with PADI Dive Centres and Resorts around the world within the limits of your training and experience.
Is This Course Right For Me?
This course is ideal if you:
- Have never scuba dived before
- Have completed Discover Scuba Diving and want to become certified
- Want to dive while on holiday
- Enjoy adventure and the outdoors
- Want to discover a hobby that can take you around the world
- Plan to continue towards Advanced Open Water Diver and beyond
No previous diving experience is required. Many of our students arrive feeling nervous or uncertain. That’s perfectly normal, and our instructors are experienced at helping complete beginners become relaxed and confident underwater.
What You Will Learn
Throughout the course you’ll learn the skills needed to become a safe and competent recreational diver. Training includes:
- How scuba equipment works
- Setting up and checking your equipment
- Underwater communication
- Buoyancy control
- Safe descents and ascents
- Mask clearing
- Regulator recovery
- Controlled emergency procedures
- Dive planning
- Buddy diving techniques
- Underwater navigation
- Responsible diving and protecting the underwater environment
Every skill is introduced gradually before being practised in a controlled environment and then repeated in open water.
How The Course Works
Knowledge Development
You’ll complete PADI eLearning at your own pace before reviewing key concepts with your instructor. The theory explains not only what divers do, but why they do it, helping you become a safe diver rather than simply preparing you for an exam.
Confined Water Sessions
Your first practical dives take place in calm, controlled water. Here you’ll learn the core scuba skills, gain confidence using the equipment and become comfortable breathing underwater before progressing to open water. Our instructors work with each student individually, allowing everyone to progress at a comfortable pace.
Open Water Dives
Once you’ve mastered the required skills, you’ll complete your qualifying dives in open water. These dives allow you to apply everything you’ve learned in real diving conditions while continuing to build confidence and experience. Successful completion results in your internationally recognised PADI Open Water Diver certification.
Course Requirements
To enrol on the course you must:
- Be at least 10 years old.
- Be medically fit to dive.
- Complete the required participant paperwork.
- Demonstrate the required swimming and floating skills during the course.
Some answers on the diver medical questionnaire may require written approval from a doctor before training can begin. If you’re unsure whether this applies to you, please contact us before booking.
Junior Open Water Diver (age 10–14) and standard Open Water Diver students may train together on the same course. We plan each dive so every student reaches their own PADI-permitted maximum depth. Junior Open Water Divers aged 10–11 are limited to 12m; those aged 12–14 may dive to 18m (with a certified adult); standard certification divers are permitted to 18m.
Do I need to be a strong swimmer? No. You don’t need to be an athlete or competitive swimmer. However, all PADI Open Water Diver students must demonstrate basic swimming ability and floating skills during the course. If you’re unsure whether your swimming ability is suitable, we’d be happy to discuss this before you book.
What Is Included?
- PADI eLearning
- Instructor-led tuition
- Confined water training
- Four open water qualifying dives
- Air fills during training
- PADI Open Water Diver certification on successful completion, qualifying you to dive to 18 metres
- Twelve months of Wiltshire Scuba Dive Club membership, included — 10 free air fills, 10% off cylinder testing and servicing, free Club pool sessions and guided Club dives
Equipment
All diving equipment is provided for both the pool sessions at Halo Highworth and the open water sessions at Vobster Quay — including drysuit. Students need only bring swimwear. If you prefer to dive in your own equipment, please let us know at booking.
Duration
Roughly two to three weeks from start to finish. The PADI eLearning is self-paced — most students spread it over around two weeks. Once that’s done, training follows as: a classroom session and first pool session on day one (arriving 11:00am, pool 2:00–5:00pm at Halo Highworth); a second pool session the following week (2:00–5:00pm); then two full open water days at Vobster Quay (7:00am–4:00pm). See the booking page for specific dates and availability.
Classroom Sessions
Pool Sessions
Open Water Sessions
Private Training
We can offer 1:1 teaching and private pool sessions by enquiry for many of our PADI courses.
This is ideal if you would prefer a quieter learning environment, want extra support, or need training arranged around your availability.
Private training is subject to instructor and pool availability, so please get in touch and we’ll be happy to talk through the best option for you.
Contact UsBefore taking part in any scuba diving course or activity, all participants must complete a medical declaration.
Certain medical conditions, medications or previous health issues may require approval from a doctor before diving.
If you have any doubt about whether this may apply to you or the person you are booking for, please contact us before booking.
Contact UsWhat If I’m Nervous?
Being nervous before your first pool session is completely normal, and there’s no expectation that everyone starts at the same level of confidence.
For a nervous beginner, we slow things right down. We’ll spend more time getting comfortable with the equipment, breathing through a regulator and simply being in the water before worrying about completing skills. We can practise breathing at the surface or in water shallow enough to stand up in, and repeat things as many times as you need.
We also introduce skills progressively. Rather than asking you to perform something simply because it is next on a checklist, we make sure you are comfortable with the step before moving on. If something isn’t working, we’ll stop, change the approach and try again.
A confident beginner may move through those early stages much more quickly and spend more of the session developing buoyancy, swimming and control underwater. The skills and standards are the same for everyone; the route and the time we take to get there don’t have to be.
Nobody gets dragged underwater, rushed through a skill or made to feel that they’re holding the group up. Our job as instructors is to help you become a comfortable, capable diver — not simply to get you through a list of exercises.
Preparing for UK Conditions
We train you for the conditions you’re actually likely to encounter as a UK diver, rather than simply teaching you how to complete the required skills.
At Halo Highworth, the pool gives us a controlled environment where we can concentrate on the fundamentals: equipment setup, breathing, buoyancy, trim, propulsion, mask skills and becoming genuinely comfortable underwater. It also gives us time to solve problems before adding the extra challenges of an open-water environment.
When we move to Vobster Quay, all of our students train in dry suits for their open-water dives. We don’t put students into wetsuits simply because they’re cheaper or easier for a dive centre to provide. UK water can be cold, and being cold and uncomfortable is hardly the best introduction to becoming a diver.
Learning in a dry suit means you’re warm, comfortable and gaining experience with the type of exposure protection you’re likely to use for much of your UK diving. We teach you how to use the suit properly, get your weighting right and manage your buoyancy with the additional equipment.
Visibility at Vobster can vary considerably, and we treat reduced visibility as a normal part of UK diving rather than something to be frightened of. You’ll learn to stay close to your buddy, maintain awareness, communicate effectively and remain calm when you can’t see as far as you could in the swimming pool.
Vobster is a sheltered inland site, which lets us introduce cold water, depth and variable visibility without simultaneously throwing a new diver into tides and currents. Once those fundamentals are solid, progressing to coastal and sea diving — where currents and tides become another consideration — is a much more manageable next step.
Why Train With Wiltshire Scuba?
Choosing where you learn to dive is just as important as choosing which course to take. Wiltshire Scuba is proud to be a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre, offering training from complete beginner through to professional instructor level.
When you learn with us you’ll benefit from:
- Maximum 4 students per instructor — confirmed across all courses
- Taught by Mark Taylor (PADI Course Director, teaching since 2009) and Emma Taylor (PADI IDC Staff Instructor)
- Friendly, patient instruction
- Modern, well-maintained equipment
- Flexible scheduling whenever possible
- Ongoing support after qualification
Our aim isn’t simply to certify divers. Our aim is to help you become a confident diver who enjoys every dive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a recognised qualification?
Yes. PADI Open Water Diver is recognised throughout the world and allows you to dive independently with a buddy within the limits of your training.
Can I dive abroad with this certification?
Yes. PADI certifications are accepted by dive centres around the world. Some locations may ask for recent diving experience or additional local briefings depending on conditions.
What happens if I struggle with a skill?
Everyone learns differently. If you need additional time to become comfortable with a skill, your instructor will work with you until you’re ready to progress. Learning safely is always more important than learning quickly.
Can I complete the theory before attending?
Yes. Most students complete the PADI eLearning before attending the practical sessions.
Can I wear contact lenses?
Yes. Many divers wear soft contact lenses successfully while diving. Prescription masks may also be available — please ask before your course if you require one.
What happens after I qualify?
Once you’ve completed Open Water Diver, you’ll be able to dive with a buddy and begin gaining experience. Most divers continue with Advanced Open Water Diver, Enriched Air (Nitrox) and Dry Suit Diver. These courses build confidence, improve your skills and expand the range of diving you can enjoy.
Related Courses
- PADI Advanced Open Water Diver
- PADI Enriched Air (Nitrox) — contact us for details
- PADI Dry Suit Diver — contact us for details
- PADI Rescue Diver
Where Could Your Diving Journey Take You?
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Become a Certified Diver — you are here
Earn your internationally recognised PADI Open Water Diver certification.
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Build Your Confidence
Continue with Advanced Open Water Diver to gain experience in navigation, deeper diving and new underwater environments.
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Develop Specialist Skills
Choose specialty courses such as Enriched Air Nitrox, Dry Suit Diver, Wreck Diver or Deep Diver to match the type of diving you enjoy.
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Learn Rescue Skills
Develop the knowledge and confidence to help other divers by completing Emergency First Response and Rescue Diver.
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Become a PADI Professional
Progress through Divemaster, Assistant Instructor and ultimately the Instructor Development Course with Wiltshire Scuba.
Ready To Begin?
The underwater world is waiting. Whether your dream is to dive on holiday, explore the UK’s incredible inland dive sites or start an entirely new hobby, the PADI Open Water Diver course is your gateway to adventure. Book your place today or contact our team if you’d like to discuss the course before booking.