Science teaching and students' attitudes and aspirations: The importance of conveying the applications and relevance of science

•Survey responses from students in England in PISA 2006 and 2015 were analysed.•Students' perceived utility of science most strongly associated with aspirations.•Teaching approaches had minimal or no direct associations with aspirations.•Teaching 'applications of science' associated with students' utility and interest.•Other teaching approaches had varying or no associations with utility and interest.

More people studying and working within science are desired in numerous countries, although it remains less clear how educators can help. Analysis considered nationally-representative samples of students in England, aged 15 (Year 11), from 2006 and 2015. On both occasions, accounting for students' background and other views, students' perceived utility of science most strongly and positively associated with their science-related career aspirations, while students' reports of encountering different teaching approaches had smaller or no associations. Conveying the wider applications of science to students was the only teaching approach to consistently and positively associate with students' utility and other attitudes. Developing students' attitudes, and hence their aspirations, through highlighting the applications and relevance of science to everyday life may be beneficial.