Did my UK PPL in '95 and the line I was given at the time was the "you don't have to do this, but we'd recommend that you do" type approach.
Although it scared me sh!tless the first few times we did it (from about 6000' IIRC, in an Aerobat), I am glad that I did, if only to reinforce the lesson that if you ever entered a spin unintentionally from circuit height you would be leaving the scene in a coffin.
If that made me over-cautious in terms of speed discipline during the critical phases of approach/departure, so be it!....the lesson did it's job.