Whirly
You're right, the new PPL is a license to learn; the issue however is that one learns just about enough to do nothing really useful. This would be perfectly fine if the average school offered an environment where the PPL holder can progress. But most don't.
Unless of course you want to spend more money with them, on a NQ or the IMCR, but again the moment you get those you are back on your own.
But it's all been said before...