Update sub-README covering status of new course

new_course/README.md

@@ -1,7 +1,35 @@
 # New course
 
-Consisting of:
+**Note: this new course is being trialled and therefore may change after feedback, but should be
+self-contained and sufficient to work through as-is in its current form.**
 
-* introduction module as a notebook with a practical;
-* extention modules  of notebooks and corresponding practicals to cover certain
-   topics in depth and to show the libraries in real practical use cases.
+### Setup
+
+In the form of Jupyter Notebooks. At present the course only contains the introduction/summary
+content but extension modules will be added to cover certain topics in depth and to show the
+libraries in real practical use cases.
+
+Consisting of (at present - to be extended):
+
+* introduction module:
+  * a teaching Notebook `intro_to_ncas_cf_data_tools.ipynb`
+    of introduction, setup and six sections, designed to be lectured as a taught
+    walkthrough interleaved with the corresponding practical sessions from the practical
+    Notebook below after every 2-3 sections are taught, overall taking around 45 minutes to teach
+    (but can also be followed along with independently)
+  * a practical Notebook `practical_for_intro_to_ncas_cf_data_tools.ipynb`  with
+     introductory context and reminders then six sections of practical questions with solved answers
+     for the sections matching the teaching Notebook, designed to be worked through after the
+     corresponding taught sections are presented from the above teaching
+     Notebook but can also be worked through independently)
+
+
+### Setup
+
+As a computing environment requires (at least):
+
+* service or server capable of running Jupyter Notebook, locally or hosted at location of choice
+  which could be externally or in-browser;
+* cf-python v. 3.16.2 or higher;
+* cf-plot v. 3.3.0 or higher;
+* Python v.3.8.0., the minimum Python version that is compatible with the above cf* minimum versions.