By Gary Eason BBC News Online education editor

The two boys expelled for threatening a teacher then reinstated on appeal are still being given private tuition - three weeks after agreeing to go to other schools.

As yet no other schools have been willing to take them.

"We are working on it," said a spokesperson for Surrey County Council, their local education authority.

The case caused a political storm when the former education secretary, Estelle Morris, intervened to try to get the boys out of their school, even though she had no power to do so.

It again focused attention on the independent exclusion appeal panels - and exposed the fact that Ms Morris had not used the new power she had given herself to alter the way the panels work.

Changes, in the form of new regulations, are not expected before January.

Difficulties

Amid a storm of publicity, Surrey liaised with the parents and finally persuaded them that it would be better for the boys, both in their GCSE exam year, to go elsewhere.

The council arranged private tuition for them while it sought other schools that would offer them places.

BBC News Online has learned that the search is still going on.

The council said on Friday that it was proving difficult because not only would other head teachers have to agree to accept the boys but so too would their schools' governing bodies.

Another complication is that separate schools are being sought.

A spokesperson declined to say how many schools had been approached.

The mother of one of the boys - Susan Aldred - said her son had not been offered any places.

She said he was getting "some" tuition at home.

Flawed procedure

The boys were both 15 when they were expelled from Glyn Technology School in Epsom in the summer for making a series of abusive telephone calls to a teacher who had disciplined them.

Their parents went to the appeal panel and won their case.

The panel ordered their reinstatement, saying there had been errors in the expulsion procedure, the threats had not been serious, and it was important that the boys' education continue.

When they went back this term the teacher, Steve Taverner, was signed off work by his doctor due to stress.

Teacher back at work

Staff at the school voted not to teach the boys.

Glyn's head teacher, Stuart Turner, said on Friday that Mr Taverner was now back at the school, where he teaches PE.

He said Surrey had given him an undertaking that it would take responsiblity for the boys' futures.

He had said previously that he might still have to take them back if no other places could be found.

Intervention

The case hit the headlines just a week after Estelle Morris had made a tough speech at the Labour Party Conference, saying: "Teachers cannot teach if children are disruptive.

"One child threatening or abusing one teacher in one of our schools is one too many."

She said she was backing the school in wanting the boys out - but legally could not force that to happen.