Big Cheese,
I was in the same boat as you, and I have re-searched everything to tne n-th degree... So feel free to PM me...
I had completed a Flying Scholarship, and had not flown for over 6 years. I have decided to go for the JAR-PPL as I would like to go further with my licences and so it make sense, rather than NPPL first. It depends what you want to do. If you want to bimble around the UK on pleasure flights the NPPL will suffice until you can afford to upgrade. However if you wish to go further, I would try and go for the JAR-PPL straight out as this will be cheaper in the long run.
Also with respect to flying schools be very careful. I called around 6 in my local area; and explained that I had a scholarship and had not flown for 6 years. 5 of them said on the phone, in that case you will need x amount of hours to get back to solo standard... Only one said "Book an hour and we will have a look at what you remember and take it from there"... Well I booked the hour, a plan was generated from that hour, and 12 hours after starting I am staring at the skies waiting to do the Qualifying Cross Country!!! I am at 35TT. The school is excellent as the instructors are salaried and so not under pressure to "stretch out the lessons" like some hourly paid clubs.
All the very best with it, and hope to see you at an airfield, on a bimble one day!!!
Laters
Jon