Speaking as a pilot, once you clear me for the approach you clear me all the way to the point at which I need landing clearance (or I go around). However it is normal for us to report e.g. established inbound/ base turn complete - for controller awareness - and these calls, together with the (strictly unnecessary) 'descend with the procedure......' reply from the controller, can be interpreted by some as compulsory so leading to the uncertainty you describe.
The important call for us to make is 4D (or equivalent) as that prompts you to give us landing clearance. Up until that point we are proceeding as cleared.