The Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP) provides an employment based route into teaching, with trainees achieving Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). The Mid Somerset Consortium for Initial Teacher Training, established in 2004, is committed to recruiting and training new secondary school teachers capable of working at a high professional standard. Originally targeted at graduates in the Somerset area who want to follow a teacher training programme, though have difficulty due to the lack of a university in Somerset.

The MSC aims to train secondary teachers in most subject areas, though particularly in shortage subjects like maths, physics and chemistry. The programme that trainees follow ensures that they are equipped to meet the ever increasing demands of classroom practitioners. The course involves working in a main placement school for an academic year. Each trainee follows a carefully designed individual professional development programme provided by the consortium.

The training programmes that the MSC provides will also ensure the continuous development of professionals already working in schools. The staff involved within the programme will be kept up to date with Leading Edge Practice and become increasingly reflective classroom practitioners.