So I'm early into IMC training
Ask your school/Instructor
For reference look up
CAP393 (ANO 2012)
Schedule 7
Part-A PPL
(NB if you hold an EASA Licence not all listed limitations apply)
and
Part-B Subsection 2 IMC rating
The training notes you have posted are wrong/out of date
VMC on top is VFR or IFR
If it is VMC (make sure you now the criteria) then it is your choice
as to whether you wish to fly VFR or IFR.
If VMC criteria do not exist then it is, by definition, IMC and IFR
is mandatory.