This article reviews three issues (306, 307 and 308) of "School Science Review" (SSR), the ASE journal for science education 11-19. It aims to highlight ideas and developments that are of relevance to the teaching and learning of science in both secondary and primary phases. Each of the issues being reviewed includes articles that focus on a particular theme. For 306 this is "management and key stage 3", for 307 it is "science education research and practice" and 308 celebrated the 50th anniversary of the determination of the double-helix structure of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The author starts with some issues raised in the debate about the relevance of science education research. Two articles concerning "emotional literacy" are then discussed and the review finishes by considering the attitudes to science held by primary school pupils and a brief discussion of the way science should be represented in schools. (Contains 2 figures.)