Secondly, assuming that the flight is training or testing for the purpose of becoming qualified for the grant of a pilots licence or the inclusion of an aircraft rating, a night rating or a night qualification in a licence, the aircraft may not take off or land anywhere other than at a licensed aerodrome or a government aerodrome.
But not an IMC rating because that is not an aircraft rating and is not ab initio training and is not specifically mentioned
Probably because the guy already has a PPL and the flight will normally be to a licensed airfield with a published instrument approach