What you're describing is actually a modified fly sparge??? or something... you've never heard of vorlaufing, or actually vorlaufed? Vorlaufing is emptying the runnings and recirculate them to the top of the grain bed until the runnings are CLEAR, THEN actually start running off into the boil kettle. You should vorlauf anytime the grain bed is disturbed and the runnings become cloudy, such as when you get a stuck sparge, are starting to run off a batch sparge amount, or are starting your fly sparge.
When batch sparging you usually 1) vorlauf and drain off the first runnings (possibly after adding a mash out infusion of water or heating the mash to mash out temp), 2) dump half the sparge water into the grain and stir it well, 3) vorlauf and drain off the second runnings, 4) dump the other half the sparge water into the grain and stir it well, 5) volauf and drain off the third runnings.