THE Education Secretary's efforts to stop two youths returning to the school where they had threatened a teacher has put the spotlight on disruptive pupils once again.

But what happens to pupils after they have been expelled?

Youngsters who are excluded from schools in Bolton will not find themselves wandering the streets and getting into more mischief.

The Local Education Authority boasts an impressive range of centres and innovative schemes which cater for different age groups and varying degrees of expulsion.

The "Accessing and Continuing Education" (ACE) project is just one of Bolton's successful initiatives to help youngsters who have been permanently excluded.

Only children who are aged between 11 and 13 attend the Hanover Street centre which is near the bus station in Bolton. The youngsters are predominantly boys who have been expelled after getting into problems with fighting and not being able to control their anger. Many of them have frequently disrupted classes.

The centre is run in a similar way to school and follows the same opening hours but the youngsters attend in groups of six.

The day is split into classes at the centre which follow the National Curriculum but also offer the youngsters the chance to take part in drama, creative writing and computer sessions.

They also take part in art classes and discuss anger management or issues such as drugs and alcohol.

All the activities are run by child behaviour experts and emphasis is placed on team work, good manners and taking responsibility.

But for any critics who might claim naughty children are being given an easy ride, not a single pupil who has taken part in the scheme over the past three years has gone on to be permanently excluded from another school.

The children usually attend the centre for between six and eight weeks while efforts are made to find them a new school.

Thanks to the project's outstanding success rate, headteachers are more open to taking in pupils who have been involved in ACE but the youngsters still have to undergo an interview before being formally accepted.

Much emphasis is placed on why the pupils have been excluded in the first place. They are not sent to another school until they have looked at what they did wrong and are confident they will not run into problems in the future. The children are encouraged to become calmer. The classroom is fitted with a fish tank, classical music is played and there is easy access to drinking water -- which helps reduce their aggression. For many of the youngsters, their behaviour changes dramatically once someone has listened to them and helped to boost their self-esteem.

They are all encouraged to work to targets and compete to win gift vouchers which are given out for hard work, good manners and for showing respect for their colleagues. Project manager Paula Batty said: "When the kids arrive here they are often apprehensive and don't want to speak or get involved but by the end of their re-integration programme their self confidence has grown.

"Lots of them have been excluded for a gradual build-up of disruptive behaviour rather than a one-off dramatic incident.

"It is often the transition from primary school to secondary school which has proved too much for them. They suddenly find themselves in a huge building with lots of different teachers and the pressures from older children can be difficult."

Lily Ashworth used to teach drama in mainstream schools but finds helping out the centre more rewarding.

She has just introduced the current group of children to Macbeth which will involve them writssing witches' recipes using rhyming couplets, mock sword fighting and role playing.

"The drama helps their social skills, listening to instructions, and encourages them to explore their creative side" she said.

The story of one of the boys who has been attending the centre for six weeks is typical of many others.

The 12-year-old, who is from Breightmet and has seven sisters, had been relatively happy at primary school and received good reports but became disruptive after joining secondary school.

The youngster, who was permanently excluded after setting fire to a skip in the school grounds, said: "When I left school I was worried about what my dad would say but I like coming here and doing the work is easier than it was in school."

Another 12-year-old, from Farnworth, said: "I had to leave for fighting but it was older kids who hung me upside down over a bridge. At my next school they won't be there."