JeZeBel,I think you might bear in mind that Gervaise Phinn actually got out of teaching and became an inspector!
He speaks with great warmth and humour- but some of that humour comes from the knowledge that he sometimes had little idea of the reality of the situation for the staff and pupils at the school he was inspecting.
You'd hardly expect an inspector to tell a prospective candidate not to enter the profession!
Forewarned is forearmed!
I wish you every success.