I was shown the oval circuit at 600ft, pretty much inside the fence.
Then I went to an airfield where the circuit height is 600ft and was expected to fly a regular rectangle. I think their low level circuit is for hedge trimming purposes.
Landing from a PFL, I reckon it's essential. I was shown an overhead join with a quick pulling of the throttles on the way down so that I had to judge the glide in. Made it. Another student was apparently on the downwind leg when the instructor chopped the throttles and said 'Land it'.
In the GFT the prescence of other aircraft means that you will only get to demonstrate the glide approach. You get to nominate where the engine goes off and then land. My examiner nominated a set of marks on the runway and I had to reach them, a jolly finale to a GFT.