WonderTrail Researched. Information compiled by WonderTrail from publicly available sources and not yet verified by the venue. Every fact below shows its source and the date we checked it. Where a public source is available, we link to it.
Are you this venue? Claim this listing
What is this place?
Waddon Leisure Centre in Croydon (operated by GLL under its ‘Better’ brand for Croydon Council) runs swimming lessons specifically designed for children aged 4 and above with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND), taught in the teaching pool in a calmer, more supportive environment; it also references partner disability-sport programmes. For pool access the centre lists a Poolpod chair and a hoist to help wheelchair users and those with limited mobility enter and exit the pool, and accessible, spacious changing rooms with support rails, non-slip flooring and pull cords. The centre’s inclusive page also describes a ‘Changing Places room’ next to the male gym changing-room entrance, with a hoist and changing bench; however, that description is partly merged with the pool-entry hoist and we have NOT been able to confirm the room on the national Changing Places register — so we record it as an operator claim, kept separate from the pool hoist and the accessible changing, and not asserted as a registered Changing Places until confirmed. The SEND lessons’ days, times, cost and age bands are not published on the current pages (booking is via an external system), so we do not list a dated What’s On session for Waddon — check the current Better timetable.
SEND & access at a glance
✓ confirmed available ✕ confirmed not available ? not confirmed — we couldn't verify it from the sources checked i additional information — read the details below
?Quiet space
✓SEND & access options
?Ear defenders
?Step-free
?Accessible toilet
✓Accessible changing room
iChanging Places
?Accessible parking
iSensory-adapted sessions
SEND & access options
Dedicated sessions, accessible performances and access support — relaxed, sensory-adapted, quiet, autism-friendly, signed/audio-described, or an access service. Not every session at a venue is one of these.
Session dates, times and prices change — always check current times with the venue before travelling.
SEND Swimming Lessons
Check the current timetable
SEND session
Days and times are not published on the current Better pages — check the current timetable
Swimming lessons designed for children aged 4+ with SEND, taught in the teaching pool. No dated instance is asserted because times aren’t published.
Lessons specifically designed for children aged 4 and above with SEND, in a calmer, more accessible and supportive environment in the teaching pool. Booking is via the Better app/website; the timetable, cost and age bands aren’t listed on the current pages.
Booking: Book via the Better app/website; check the current timetable and price.
Venue website · checked 2026-09-20
Physical accessibility
-
?
Step-free accessWe couldn't confirm this from the venue's published accessibility information.
Venue website · checked 2026-09-20
-
i
Wheelchair accessiblePool-entry equipment (Poolpod chair and hoist) helps wheelchair users and those with limited mobility enter and exit the pool. General building wheelchair access isn’t separately detailed.
Venue website · checked 2026-09-20
-
✓
Pool hoistA Poolpod chair and a hoist are listed to help wheelchair users and those with limited mobility enter and exit the pool. (Recorded separately from any changing-room hoist.)
Venue website · checked 2026-09-20
-
?
Accessible toiletWe couldn't confirm this from the venue's published accessibility information.
Venue website · checked 2026-09-20
-
✓
Accessible changing roomAccessible, spacious changing rooms with support rails, non-slip flooring and pull cords. Recorded separately — this is accessible changing, NOT a registered Changing Places.
Venue website · checked 2026-09-20
-
i
Changing Places toiletThe operator lists a ‘Changing Places room’ (next to the male gym changing-room entrance, with a hoist and changing bench), but the page partly merges it with the pool-entry hoist and the national-register entry is not independently confirmed — so we do not assert a registered Changing Places until confirmed.
Venue website · checked 2026-09-20
-
?
Accessible parkingWe couldn't confirm this from the venue's published accessibility information.
Venue website · checked 2026-09-20
-
?
Hearing loopWe couldn't confirm this from the venue's published accessibility information.
Venue website · checked 2026-09-20
Visit planning
- Address
- Waddon Leisure Centre, Purley Way, Waddon, Croydon, London CR0 4RG
- Borough
- Croydon
- Age range
- SEND swimming lessons for children aged 4 and above; days/times not published
- Indoor / outdoor
- Indoor leisure centre with pool
- Opening
- SEND swimming lessons are designed for children aged 4+; specific days and times are not published on the current Better pages. Check the current Better timetable before travelling. · checked 2026-09-20
- Booking
- Book via the Better app/website (external booking). The current pages don’t list the SEND-lesson timetable, cost or age bands — check the current timetable. · checked 2026-09-20
- Typical visit length
- Not confirmed
- Price
- SEND-lesson prices are not listed on the current Better pages — check the current timetable and price before booking. · checked 2026-09-20
- Getting there
- On Purley Way (CR0); Waddon station (National Rail) is nearby. Check the centre for parking.
Opening times, prices and booking can change — please check before you travel.
Sources & provenance
This is a WonderTrail Researched listing — compiled from public sources and not yet verified by the venue. Sources checked:
“Not confirmed” means we couldn't verify that detail from the sources we checked — not that it's unavailable. Where a source confirms something is genuinely absent, we show it as a clear ✕. If a specific need matters for your visit, please contact the venue to check. Parent-reported experiences (added later) will always be shown separately from verified venue information.
Contact the venue to confirm a specific requirement: www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/london/croydon/waddon-leisure-centre
Are you this venue? Claim & verify this listing