This paper reports the findings of a 2-year project based in the UK, which examined the perceptions and beliefs of disenfranchised pupils, their parents, school practitioners, and educational professionals about the causes and dynamics of disaffection from school. The study employed mainly qualitative methods (interviews and focus groups) to look within one school district in Northwest England at the current strategies and approaches being undertaken collaboratively by a multiple range of agencies, services, and schools to reduce the exclusion and disaffection of at-risk students. The study's sample consisted of the analysis of 12 projects and interviews with some 110 individuals, including 50 secondary school pupils, 20 local educators/practitioners, 15 parents, and 25 teachers and headteachers in primary and secondary schools. The paper: (1) discusses areas in which similar and conflicting perceptions arose between the various perspectives; (2) suggests areas for improving teacher practices and school policies; and (3) concludes that while disaffection is linked to a range of school- and teacher-based factors, the influence of systemic factors such as national government policies on curriculum, testing, assessment, and accountability also constitute an equally important dimension of the context in which disaffection occurs. The appendix contains a table and a summary of issues involved with pupil disaffection. (Contains 37 references, 5 tables, and 4 notes.) (Author/RT)