Coleg Cambria Yale () consists of two campuses of Coleg Cambria, a further education college, encompassing the grounds of the former Yale College (), in Wrexham, North Wales. The main campus Yale Grove Park Road, or simply the Yale campus, is located in Wrexham city centre, while the smaller second campus Yale Bersham Road, or simply the Bersham Road campus, is located to the south-west of Wrexham.
In 2013, the college merged with Deeside College to form Coleg Cambria, that has sites across North East Wales. The former Yale College grounds are now two of the five campuses of Coleg Cambria, alongside the Northop, Llysfasi, and Deeside sites. The name 'Yale' is retained at the campus.
History
The college traces its history to the Yale Grammar and Technical School located on Crispin Lane. It was established in 1950 as a state school, renamed Yale High School in 1964, but became a sixth form college in 1973. The school then began moving from Crispin Lane to its current Grove Park site in 1995, with the Grove Park site opening in 1998. Although Yale College was stated to be founded in 1993.
Naming lawsuit
In 1999, Yale University sued Wrexham County Borough Council over the use of the name Yale College, used by Yale University's undergraduate college for 225 years. As a result of the settlement of the trademark infringement suit, the Yale College in Wales must always be legally referred to as Yale College in Wrexham or Yale College Wrexham.
In 2008, the college won the overall award in Wales for quality. Specifically its provisions relating to work-based learning and training. Rhodri Morgan, First Minister for Wales, congratulated the college on its award.
In 2010, the college announced plans to share services with Glyndŵr University to improve local education provision.
By 2011, the college had more than 14,000 students, across its two campuses in Wrexham, Grove Park Road and Bersham Road. The college also utilised a moodle at the time.
Merger into Coleg Cambria
In February 2012, it was announced that the college would merge with Deeside College, later announced in December to be called Coleg Cambria. With the merged college having 27,000 students and 2,000 staff. Following the merger, the name Yale, in reference to the former independent college, would be retained at the campus. The merger was completed in August 2013.
Under Coleg Cambria
In 2018, the college announced it would be replacing the Yale site's existing catering, examination, sports and performing arts building with a new three-storey complex.
In 2021, Coleg Cambria opened the Yale site's Hafod building, a £21 million development. The college had also established a partnership with Bangor University to develop recovery and growth strategies and support systems, such as learner reskill efforts, for North Wales industries following the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales.
In 2023, the college announced it would be building a new facility on its Yale site for students studying health, social care and wellbeing. In 2024, the college opened "Ial Spa" on the site.
Campus
thumb|Former [[Wrexham and East Denbighshire War Memorial Hospital, now the "M Block" of the college.]]The college has offered both full and part time courses, It has sites located in the heart of Wrexham, Its two campuses are Yale (on Grove Park Road) and Bersham Road. These comprise two of the five campuses of Coleg Cambria.
The former college, and now one of its campuses, is named after Elihu Yale, the founder of Yale University (based in Connecticut, United States), and is buried at St Giles' Church, Wrexham. The site hosts Coleg Cambria's Yale Sixth form college. which, once vacated of its hospital purpose, was originally proposed to be demolished. However, following a campaign against demolition,
thumb|Former Grove Park School buildings, part of Coleg Cambria, on Chester Road.
Before the hospital, these grounds were occupied by two residences, Grove House and Roseneath. With the latter being home to William Low, who founded the Channel Tunnel Company, and led one of the early efforts to construct the Channel Tunnel in 1870, but funding dried up and construction ceased shortly after. Low's tunneling efforts may have inspired him to set up the 1876 Wrexham Arts and Industries exhibition. The boarding school, also known as Groves Academy, was situated in the former Grove House residence, which was converted into a boarding school in 1823.
Bersham Road
thumb|Bersham Road CampusThe Bersham Road campus is the location for the college's vocational courses, such as those relating to bricklaying, engineering and plumbing. It is one of the five campuses of Coleg Cambria.
By 2011, the Bersham Road site had a reception, barbers, cafe, medical centre, common room and IT suite. The site also has facilities delivering education in workshops for electrical installations, plumbing, gas assessment, welding and fabrication, manufacturing, automotives, wet trades, plastering, joinery, paint and decorating, floor laying and brick laying.