I was very frustrated when learning because my instructor didn't let me solo until 30 hrs. In retrospect, he was a very wise man (still is actually). He wanted to be sure I could face anything that might reasonably happen, including diverting to another airport (in case the runway was blocked or closed). Maybe in the UK there's a lot of pressure due to the cost of flying to let people solo early, I don't know. He also taught me to say "unable". Luckily. I was in a similar situation to this unfortunate pilot - as I was on final in a 172 there was a Lear coming up fast behind me. Tower (at Hayward, CA) told me to "make it a touch and go" but I'd been instructed to make it a full stop. So I said "unable". I cleared the runway with the Lear practically over the threshold. Everyone was happy, except my poor instructor who had melted into a pool of sweat over the whole incident.
I've been asked to do all sorts of wacky things in the pattern and on the approach - 360s from just about everywhere, return to downwind, short approaches, you name it. I think though that it's a bad idea to add to the stress and unfamiliarity that an early-solo pilot feels by asking them to do these things.
My home airport (Palo Alto) has had exactly one fatal, which was a newly-minted PPL who was asked to make an early crosswind. He stalled, spun, and killed himself and his girlfriend.
I think though that it would be a revelation for some of the contributing ATCOs to spend time at a busy GA+commercial airport in the US. Statements like "it's my airspace and if you want to mix it with the jets in your 172 then you'll have a tough time" (paraphrasing but that was the gist) wouldn't go down too well, at, say, San Jose or Oakland. Even at LAX I've been slotted in among the jets in my 182 with no fuss or trouble for anyone. Or maybe they should try Livermore on a Saturday morning, everything from ultralights to warbirds to jets, with runways busy and a dozen aircraft on frequency. I'm sure Southend is a pretty sleepy backwater compared with any of these places, or indeed Palo Alto which averages one movement every 20 seconds at busy times.
n5296s