Thanks everyone, you've certainly given me a lot of information to mull over!
I think I will go for the full EASA PPL medical, if I can find a qualified doctor suitably near to me at a reasonable cost. As much as I would like to do a class 1- it is my intention to possibly aim to be a commercial pilot should my student aero engineering career fall off the rails - and I realise that the further along the road I get the more devastating failing a medical would be, I just dont currently have anything like the money that requires!
I will need the medical fairly urgently or the gliding club wont let me solo, so if I cannot find an EASA GP in time I will do the NPPL medical at my local GP to tide me over, then do the full PPL medical asap afterwards.
thanks,
Matt