A recent YouGov poll indicated that almost half of eight to 18-year-olds aspire to a career in science. The latest Association of Colleges enrolment survey indicates a large increase in uptake of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at further education (FE) colleges. These reports, along with other findings that suggest an increased appetite for science subjects at school, are to be welcomed. To counterbalance the good news, however, the Royal Society presents a different perspective in its "state of the nation" reports. These suggest that many children lose interest in mathematics and science during secondary school and that, despite an increase in the number of pupils taking triple science subjects at General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), there are still too few pupils taking science subjects at A-level to secure the uptake that educators are looking for into higher education and STEM-based careers. So, what can be done to ensure that pupils from an early age can be inspired by science and mathematics, and then sustain that passion, curiosity and ability all the way through school, into higher education and beyond? Both subject specialist and non-specialist science teachers need to keep abreast of cutting edge science to ensure that their teaching is relevant, topical and inspiring. They need to understand what teaching methods work best when it comes to engaging boys and girls of different ages, abilities and backgrounds.