§ 61.129 Aeronautical experience. (for CPL single engine) - as of 9/26/2011
(4) Ten hours of solo flight time in a single engine airplane or 10 hours of flight time performing the duties of pilot in command in a single engine airplane with an authorized instructor on board (either of which may be credited towards the flight time requirement under paragraph (a)(2) of this section), on the areas of operation listed under §61.127(b)(1) that include—
(i) One cross-country flight of not less than 300 nautical miles total distance, with landings at a minimum of three points, one of which is a straight-line distance of at least 250 nautical miles from the original departure point. However, if this requirement is being met in Hawaii, the longest segment need only have a straight-line distance of at least 150 nautical miles; and
(ii) 5 hours in night VFR conditions with 10 takeoffs and 10 landings (with each landing involving a flight in the traffic pattern) at an airport with an operating control tower.
Well, I don't know about the night rating in the UK reqs - not my priority, as I don't have UK PPL and don't aim at fixed wing commercial in the UK or Europe - for now. I've got 'piggyback' fixed wing PPL.
In the case of non-towered airport, one would still have to fly to nearby Delta airspace before the ATC guys call it a day for the patterns.
The excerpt of 14 CFR 61.129 is to show that nowhere in the FARs it is mandatory that the night experience is to be solo.
Without something official, being endorsed as having received the 3hrs of night training with 10 landings/takeoffs incl pattern, etc, it'd not be kosher to log the further 5 hours night with instructor onboard as PIC, or would it?
So the last post of BigGrecian suggest, contrary to some other opinions, to have endorsement, that'd automatically fulfill the FAA PPL night training requirements, then one can log the further 5 hours night as PIC as sole manipulator of controls/performing duties of PIC with instructor onboard.