About Us

Play-Learn-Win (Speel-Leer-Wen) is a leading early childhood education provider offering a comprehensive, play-based curriculum for children from birth to age 5. Rooted in the South African National Curriculum Framework (NCF) and aligned with global best practices, our program supports holistic development across all six Early Learning and Development Areas (ELDAs): well-being, identity and belonging, communication, mathematics, creativity, and knowledge of the world.

We believe that play is essential — not optional — for early learning. Our curriculum honors this by using active, hands-on activities to build cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills. From obstacle courses and storytelling to puzzles and painting, every moment is a purposeful opportunity to grow.

NCF-Aligned Curriculum (Ages 0–5)

Available in English and Afrikaans, our curriculum provides fully developed yearly, termly, and weekly lesson plans. Teachers are guided through developmentally appropriate activities that are easy to implement and reusable across any classroom theme.

Smooth Grade R Bridging

For children aged 4–5, we offer a specialized bridging program aligned with CAPS, ensuring a confident, well-prepared transition into formal schooling.

Training and Mentorship. We equip preschool staff with training, mentoring, and practical tools for planning, delivery and assessment. Teachers gain confidence in using the NCF while schools maintain consistent standards of care and learning.

 ELDA-Based Assessment Tools

Our assessments help educators monitor each child’s progress across all developmental domains and identify early intervention needs when necessary.

Play-Learn-Win is led by Ms. Ilse Scheepers, an experienced educator and curriculum specialist in Early Childhood Development (ECD). Ilse holds a Bachelor of Education degree, along with multiple diplomas and certificates, including expertise in special needs education. Her career spans both local and international contexts, having served as a trainer, assessor, and curriculum developer in Qatar and South Africa. Ilse co-founded Play-Learn-Win in 2014, bringing her passion for inclusive, play-based learning to life through the development and promotion of the Play-Learn-Win curriculum. This program is aligned with South Africa’s National Curriculum Framework (NCF) and integrates best practices from other leading international approaches such as the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage).

She also provides diploma-level training for the UK-based NCFE CACHE Early Years Education qualification, helping to upskill ECD practitioners both locally and abroad. Now based in Somerset West, Ilse continues to support early learning centres with curriculum development, training, and implementation support. Ilse’s extensive experience in multicultural environments and her hands-on approach make her a strong facilitator and trusted expert in the field of early childhood education.