I think the PPL syllabus needs revising!
Yes.
VMC on top
without sight of surface has never been in the slightest way enforceable, anyway.
What you always needed to do is be sure you can get back down
This method has been very popular for touring to southern Europe, by IMC Rated pilots, because you can depart the UK in mucky wx (using the IMCR privileges), fly VMC on top (once out of the low level UK Class A), across / into France between FL065 and FL115 in their extensive Class E airspace (which is uncontrolled airspace for VFR), or similarly into Germany, and then descend to the destination in nice wx conditions that tend to prevail down there (unless you messed up).
And the opposite on the way back.
Every one of my long
VFR trips involved heavy use of VMC on top.