More About Me

Alex Finn

I work as an independent Literacy consultant in Birmingham and the surrounding area supporting early years settings, primary schools and academies to develop their practice in teaching phonics, early reading and spelling through effective and systematic use of the Letters and Sounds programme.  I work with small and large settings with wide-ranging demographics supporting Senior Leadership teams, teachers, teaching assistants and parents to build confidence and raise attainment in early reading and writing.  Since 2008 I have also worked closely with lecturers at the University of Birmingham supporting the delivery of the SSP component of their Early Years and Primary PGCE and First Direct courses by providing Letters and Sounds training and practice workshops.

I have had a varied career in education having worked as a primary school teacher, SENCO, senior leader, local authority moderator and consultant.  I am passionate about reading and believe that the key to effective primary education is enabling all children to become readers.  Effective phonics practice and provision is crucial in fostering high self-esteem and positive attitudes to learning as well as raising attainment in reading and writing.  However, it is highly dependent on the subject knowledge, confidence and enthusiasm of the adults involved: the leaders who monitor practice, the teachers and teaching assistants responsible for day-to-day teaching and learning, and the parents who support their children at home.  This requires a high level of training as well as clear policies and practice.  My extensive experience as a teacher and a trainer enables me to deliver high quality training which combines in-depth subject knowledge with practical common-sense teaching approaches to ignite enthusiasm and inspire confidence in order to develop excellent classroom practice.  I love working with adults and find it particularly rewarding that my training has made a real difference to the confidence of teachers and their commitment to phonics as well as to pupil attainment in many of the schools I have worked. 

The skills I have developed as a senior leader and LA moderator enable me to work effectively with leadership teams providing support and advice at a strategic level.  However, I still love to get into the classroom and work with children.  Demonstration teaching sessions and hands-on coaching are key elements of my focused support packages and teachers often comment that they are one of the most useful aspects of the support they receive.    

To find out more about the support I can offer to your setting please read my training or parent workshop pages or get in touch to speak to me personally.

Your staff meeting today was incredibly helpful and enlightening! I set us my lesson today as you described and phonics now makes sense!
About Letters and Sounds Training
About Letters and Sounds TrainingY1 Class Teacher, New Oscott Primary School, Birmingham
You gave us a really good balance of subject knowledge and practical ideas that we can use tomorrow, next week and next term to teach phonics more effectively in our school.
About Packages of Support
About Packages of SupportLiteracy Leader, St Brigid’s Catholic Primary School, Birmingham
Thank you for supporting the trainees with the teaching of phonics and enriching the early reading programme. It’s a huge support to have your knowledge and expertise available to us.
About working with Birmingham University
About working with Birmingham UniversitySenior Lecturer, University of Birmingham
Brilliant (training) and massively useful. Engaging delivery with the lots of common-sense based on expertise.
About Letters and Sounds Training
About Letters and Sounds TrainingHead Teacher, The West Park Academy, Nottingham
The results show that this training has had a tremendous impact on learning, leading to a considerable rise in standards and gaps narrowing between various groups in school.
About Packages of SupportQuality Mark Assessor, Birmingham
Thanks so much for your inspiring enthusiasm!
About Letters and Sounds Training
About Letters and Sounds TrainingPhonics Lead, Storywood Primary School, Birmingham
Very knowledgeable. You have made sense of a document I’ve used for years but never actually been trained in.
About Letters and Sounds TrainingReception Class Teacher and Phonics Lead, Yaxley Infant School, Peterborough
Detailed and purposeful training with lots of ideas and messages to take back to school.
About Letters and Sounds Training
About Letters and Sounds TrainingEnglish Lead, Queensbury Special School, Birmingham
It has provided me with clear guidance on how to move my children forward with phonics. Thanks so much for your valuable input, and especially all the “take away” ideas.
About Letters and Sounds Training
About Letters and Sounds TrainingNQT, St Edward’s Catholic Primary School, Birmingham
Previous
Next
SoundStartPhonicsLogo

Training

Training

An insight into training methods and options
Show Me
SoundStartPhonicsLogo

Assessment Materials

Assessment Materials

Guidance outlining materails and methods to assess learners
Show Me
SoundStartPhonicsLogo

Booking Enquiries

Booking Enquiries

Register a booking or group requirment for training
Sign Up
SoundStartPhonicsLogo

Classroom Resources

Classroom Resources

Providing examples of resources to aide teaching
Show Me
SoundStartPhonicsLogo

Parent Workshops

Parent Workshops

Providing examples of resources to aide parents
Show Me
resource2
resource3
resource4
resource5
Previous
Next
SoundStartPhonicsLogo

Sound Start Phonics
25 Berwood Road
Wylde Green
B72 1BS

Getting phonics

Tel: 07931 196 627
Email: webenquiry@soundstartphonics.co.uk