Orbits are common where I am based (an ATC airfield).
However, I don't think ATC would ask a new solo student to do one (they know who is a new student pilot because the instructor phones them up).
There are far more stupid procedures than orbits. The overhead join is the #1 candidate for the stupidity award. You can have an unlimited number of planes (easily 5) in the OH at the same time, all at 2000ft agl, but you will be lucky to be visual with more than 1 of them. The OHJ was designed to enable the WW1 pilot (non-radio, of course) to read the signals square
On a wider subject, I think circuits early on in the training are daft. The student would learn more, and learn more enjoyably, if he did some real trips from start to end. There is some work being done on this in the USA, where they are using scenario-based learning (basically, doing normal flying, during which things happen) very successfully.