Thousands of primary pupils face a week without classes as Edinburgh City Council struggles to find alternative accommodation.

A total of 17 primary and secondary schools have been closed in the city after structural concerns were discovered late last week.

The council revealed contingency plans to support around 2000 secondary pupils affected by the closure on Tuesday afternoon.

No arrangements have yet been made for nearly 6000 displaced junior and primary students.

An update on plans for S1, S2 and S3 pupils is expected later in the week but primary and special school pupils will have to wait until next Tuesday before they are given space in alternative schools.

Around 2000 pupils in S4, S5 and S6 at Craigmount High, Drummond Community High, Firrhill High, Gracemount High and Royal High have been affected by the crisis.

The council said it had made senior pupils, who are preparing for exams, a priority.

Older pupils from Drummond, Firrhill and Royal High, which were only partially renovated as part of the PPP1 project, will return to their own schools on Wednesday from 9.30am.

Gracemount S4, S5 and S6 pupils will go to Liberton High School from Wednesday, while their counterparts from Craigmount will go to Tynecastle High School from Thursday.

Gracemount and Craigmount are expected to be closed for repairs for some time after major defects were found on Monday.

The structural problems were similar to those at St Peter's and Oxgangs primaries, which prompted the initial closure announcement late on Friday.

Edinburgh City Council chief executive Andrew Kerr said: "We identified senior phase pupils who are preparing for their exams as a priority and I'm pleased that we now have arrangements in place for them to go back to school.

"Work is continuing to identify alternative options for primary, special and S1 to S3 pupils which we will communicate to parents as soon as we have the information."

He said he recognised the uncertainty of the situation was a "significant inconvenience" to parents.

Mr Kerr added: "I want to thank them for their patience as we continue to work through this issue."

Edinburgh University revealed it has offered teaching spaces for thousands of children who have been affected by school closures in the city this week.

The university's senior vice-principal, Professor Charlie Jeffrey, said staff had conducted an "urgent review of room availability" and identified a large number of seats that could be made available.

The spaces are spread across 100 rooms at the university's Central, Kings Buildings and Easter Bush campuses. Details are currently being assessed by the city council.

Mr Jeffrey said: "We recognise the problems that the school closures will cause parents and children and - in a spirit of good neighbourliness - are striving to do what we can to help.

"The number of spaces we can offer will vary in the coming weeks as we enter exam season for our own students. We are working closely with the council to help where we can in this evolving situation."

Meanwhile councillor Melanie Main, education spokeswoman for the council's Green party, called for affected children to be given free access to swimming pools and historic sites.

She said: "I know some parents want to use the time meaningfully but face real cost constraints. For example, a parent looking after his or her own two children and two children of neighbours who wants to visit Edinburgh Castle would face a bill of £56 for tickets alone.

"That is why I think these organisations should waive charges for families out of school just now. A scheme like the one I suggest can only ever be a modest offer in the context of a very difficult situation but it may well make the difference for children who are feeling very unsettled."

A programme of structural surveys arranged by the Edinburgh Schools Partnership, which managed the construction of the 17 schools under the PPP project, are continuing this week.

The local authority has pledged senior pupils will be taught by their own teachers to ensure continuity ahead of their exams.

Schools were already scheduled to be closed on Monday, April 18 as it is a spring Bank Holiday.