Empathy is an important social function which aids understanding and communication. Previous studies have shown that individual differences in empathy level can be found in the general population, and that empathy differs between individuals from different STEM/Non-STEM professions. Little was known regarding teacher empathy. This paper explores levels of empathy across three groups: mainstream teachers, non-mainstream teachers (e.g. from special schools) and the general population (as a control). Self-reported empathy (EQ) scores were higher for teachers than the general population, while teachers from mainstream and non-mainstream education do not differ. Performance on a measure of empathic responsiveness (RMET) was higher for non-mainstream teaching staff, compared to both mainstream teaching staff and general population. The implications of these findings for understanding teacher empathy and risks are discussed, as well as future directions for exploring empathy in teachers.