In Ireland, recent curriculum changes have focussed on the development of the skills and knowledge of science through inquiry into socioscientific issues (SSI), and the Junior Cycle now includes an assessment of inquiry in the context of SSI, the Science in Society Investigation (NCCA, 2016). This paper presents two qualitative case studies exploring the teacher and student experience of carrying out inquiry in the context of SSI, in preparation for the Science in Society Investigation. The findings show that the teachers’ pedagogical approach to inquiry varied between the two case studies and that the pedagogical approach had a large influence on the skills and knowledge developed by the students. Both approaches were observed to develop some skills related to the Junior Cycle Science in Society Investigation. Where the teacher facilitated a mainly experimental inquiry, with little emphasis on SSI contexts, the students developed skills relating to planning, carrying out and evaluating experimental investigations. Where the teacher took a guided inquiry approach to research and discussion, placing the SSI context centrally to the inquiry, the skills developed related to researching and critical evaluation of evidence. This paper compares the two approaches and discusses the implications for practice.