Our genealogy

Worldwide School Supplies has grown from very humble beginnings. We are a family of companies, all of whom have merged over the years to become the market leader in supplying every need to International Schools worldwide - hence the name!

Coningsby Bookshop was opened by Clive Sharples in 1977, and almost immediately began supplying books to RAF Libraries at home and overseas. The services provided grew and developed resulting in the birth of Coningsby International in 1991. This company soon became the market leader for resource procurement in the International Schools’ marketplace.

4-Schools.com and Mission Supplies Limited were started in 1979 by Gerry Slessenger helping Missions and Schools overseas to obtain all their needs from the UK.

These businesses grew continuously and in 2005 decided to merge and form Coningsby 4 Schools. In 2006, a branch was opened in Miami, using our own staff, and Worldwide School Supplies was conceived. We now have a large staff, plus representatives and consultants, working in different parts of the world, and are able to offer a truly worldwide service covering all known curricula.