The views of 59 teachers at 11 further education (FE) colleges in five of England's nine regions were interviewed in depth regarding the factors that promote and prevent improvements in student retention and achievement. Those teachers who taught on teams with the highest retention and achievement focused on key elements of teaching and learning as being the most important factors associated with high retention and achievement. Teachers of courses with low retention and achievement tended to focus slightly more on factors they considered outside their control. The following were among the key elements of teaching and learning deemed most important to high retention and achievement: recruiting with integrity so that students are in the right course in the first place; well-trained, well-qualified teaching staff; well-prepared lessons; delivering curricula in an interesting way and enriching programs beyond the minimum; excellent communication between staff and students; and providing students with a lot of attention and care. Low retention and achievement was linked to the following factors: students' personal problems; students being in an inappropriate course; poor college facilities; poor learning environment; lack of management support; lack of resources; low morale; and recruitment of poor-quality students. The research methodology is appended. (Contains 16 references.)(MN)