The establishment of the UK government's OFSTED (school inspection service), published league tables, standardised testing, the literacy and numeracy strategy, imposed external targets for improvement, performance related pay and the gifted and talented programme, show the present government's concerns with educational improvement. Schools have tended to concentrate on those young people who will be successful (Blyth and Milner, 1993; TES, 3-4-98). This is inevitable, for within the current educational climate, emphasis on academic performance leads to local and national credibility. However, for some young people, academic achievement is not always possible. For them, the way forward is to seek attention through aspects of poor behaviour. Such young people can be loosely labelled "disaffected". The present three year study, which started in September 2000 and was completed in July 2003, was conducted in a comprehensive high school in the Midlands (for ages 11-18). It seeks to add to the debate that "experiential" National Curriculum subjects which include opportunities for practical activity, in this case music, have potential for re-engaging the "disaffected" young person. Furthermore, it suggests that the drive for academic excellence pursued by the present government is ill-advised if it is seen to be at the expense of more creative subjects.