BOLTON Institute is taking part in a national two-year project to find out why teenagers leave education early.

Three local teachers have been appointed to carry out the project -- Elaine Nagle from Mount St Josephs High School, Vincent Holland from Thornleigh Salesian College, and Alan Hendry from Wigan and Leigh College.

Around the country, 30 projects will look into why many young people aged 14 to 19 do not continue with their education.

The three teachers will be asking why some youngsters leave school before taking A-levels, and why others do not go on to study for qualifications such as degrees.

Bolton Institute's facilities will be available to the researchers and the Institute has been given a £60,000 grant by the Higher Education Funding Council for England to finance the project.

Bolton Institute project leader, Associate Dean Professor Rob Campbell, said: "I am very much expecting to see my researchers working together, rather than in isolation, as will be the case in other project centres.

"I will also hope to see them networking with other research groups in areas such as Manchester, Liverpool and Lancashire."