In order for students to be prepared for this course, they should have familiarity with Python and have been using it for a while. If they've only been scripting, i.e., using Python for automation a la DevOps, they are unlikely to be properly prepared for this course.
The biggest difficulty is that it is likely that not all students will have the same background. This is of course true in any course, not just this one.
Once I've assessed the student backgrounds, I can make a recommendation to the class.
"This course begins with a review of basic Python concepts. How much time we spend on that depends on the backgrounds of the students and the questions that arise during the review. Given that most of you have a basic understanding of Python and tend to use Python in a scripting/DevOps background, I want to spend a little extra time on that first section to be sure we all have a common foundation."