Chocks,
I did mine a while back in the US at a JAA school. Unless it has changed the format of the course was 3 hours dual with an instructor in which he got you used to the perspective of flying at night, nav and of course the landings.
After that you have to log a further 2 hours of solo night flight in which you could do what you wanted i.e fly to the practice area, circuits, bit of night nav. If you came back alive after the 2 hours you passed!
I am at work so dont have log book or would have a look what it was signed off as, will have a look when I get home tonight.
Julian.