DISRUPTIVE teenagers excluded from Bolton schools are being given new roles -- teaching younger pupils.

Three youngsters are being allowed back into the classroom in an innovative scheme to teach basic maths to eight-year-old children at a primary school.

Bolton is the first authority in the UK to introduce the American inspired scheme which could soon be used throughout the country. The three Bolton teenagers, who have been attending a pupil referral unit following their exclusions, have been teaching maths at Oxford Grove Primary School.

Education chiefs say the boys -- Craig Worsley, aged 14, Daniel Wardel, aged 15, and 16-year-old William Walkden -- have flourished in their newly-found responsible role.

They are now hoping the scheme will be extended and more children excluded from mainstream education will be found similar roles.

Praising the scheme today, Dr Brian Iddon, MP for Bolton South East, said: "It's an excellent idea and anything which helps people feel valued and confident can only be a good thing. It would be great to see it extended across Britain."

The initiative at Oxford Grove Primary School has been running for six weeks.

The teenagers have been teaching maths in extra lessons at the school supervised by the usual teachers. They base their lessons on mathematical worksheets.

Paul Hodgkinson, teacher in charge of the referral unit, based at an education centre in Newport Street, said the teenagers have received training in how to coach younger children and prepare lessons.

He said: "These teenagers had been tagged as disruptive children or as having behavioural difficulties, but they have so much to offer.

"They have had a negative experience of education but this scheme has given them a positive experience.

"Teaching basic addition, subtraction and multiplication has been a great refresher for them. Having this responsibility has raised their self esteem and confidence."

He said research had found youngsters almost always responded with a dedication and maturity when cast in the responsible role of tutor.

The three teenagers were chosen because they had previously demonstrated an aptitude for maths.

Mr Hodgkinson said the first lesson was full of awkward silences, but by the end of the course the teenagers were chatting enthusiastically to the youngsters.

The ex-high school pupils have spent hours each week preparing each lesson and doing research on the Internet.

He said: "When one of the children who was normally taught by the teenagers was off sick, all of the kids were desperate to be taught by the lads. They all shot their hands up, wanting to be picked."

They devise their own lesson plans and prepare back up material in case their youngsters struggle with the work they have planned.

Mr Hodginkson said: "One of them was incredibly shy before he started teaching and this has really brought him out of himself and given him confidence."

Craig, a former pupil of Hayward School, said: "It was good being able to sit down with the young children and answer any questions that they had. I have really enjoyed it.

"They like being taught by us rather than normal teachers. I hope I can do it again in the future. I may look into being a teacher in the future but I want to do a couple of other things first. We've built up some good relationships with the kids."

William attended Withins School and Daniel used to go to Harper Green. The teenagers are now studying for their GCSEs at the referral unit.

Paul Kelly, Headteacher of Oxford Grove, said: "It's been very positive all round. It has been a very good form of short term intervention. We selected children we thought would benefit and were capable of making progress in a short period of time.

"It's a two way street -- it raises their self-esteem to be chosen to do something special and the children like working with older people who are not adults.