I think this thread has departed on all sorts of tangents with plently of useful comment.
However for me I come back to the point I made earlier (and aslo made again by DFC) surely you must agree who is P1 at the start of the flight or what other relationships exists between the two in the front seat. Yep, it is only a little puddle jumper, but I think if nothing else this is fundamental to the flight. If that is done the relationship is immediately clear between the parties. So far as I am concerned (and whilst I might not agree) if the school wants to insist on a check ride that is entirely a matter for them - after all it is their aircraft, their insurance, their risk! If they tell you the relationship between the "crew" and you dont like it, go else where.