exam.now
REMOTE · EXAM.NOW
Cambridge, AQA and Edexcel past papers: questions, figures and mark schemes by part, and marking.
Available components
Last scanned (23 hours ago)
Scores higher than 53% of remote servers
Reachable. Last reached 4 Nov 2026.
Category Education and Research
How this component scores in each security and reliability category. Every signal is checked automatically against the live server, and we only credit what we can confirm. How we score → Why this is hard to score →
Endpoint Security63
- The endpoint's TLS certificate is valid, in date, and uses a strong key. View diagnostics → Pass
- No authorisation is required to call this server. Every tool declares its destructiveHint and none is destructive, so open access doesn't expose one. See how to fix → View diagnostics → Partial
- HTTPS enforcement could not be verified: the plaintext port answered with HTTP 405, which proves neither a plaintext path nor enforcement. View diagnostics → Unverified
- HSTS check failed: the Strict-Transport-Security header is absent. See how to fix → View diagnostics → Fail
- DNSSEC check failed: this domain isn't protected by DNSSEC. See how to fix → View diagnostics → Fail
Transport & Reachability100
- Verified streamable-http transport via a live MCP handshake. View diagnostics → Pass
Schema Quality & AI Usability78
- 100% of prompts and resources have a non-trivial description (not blank, and not just the item's name).Pass
- AI-judged instruction clarity (good).Pass
- Context-footprint check failed: tool/resource definitions use about 2009 tokens (~154/item across 13 items; 11 tools + 2 resources), over budget; trim descriptions and params. See how to fix → Fail
- Usage-examples check failed: none of the tools include examples. See how to fix → Fail
Stability & Change Management3
- Stability observed for 1 of 30 days with no destabilising changes; credit accrues until the full window elapses.Partial
Tool Coverage92
- 100% of tools have a non-trivial description (not blank, and not just the tool's name).Pass
- 77% of tool parameters carry a description.Partial
Tool Safety100
- No prompt-injection markers were found in the server instructions, tool names or descriptions we captured.Pass
- We read all 11 captured tool definition(s), and no name or description among them implies an irreversible operation.Pass
- An AI judge read all 13 captured unit(s) of tool text and found none that tries to manipulate the model reading it.Pass
Capabilities100
- Implements a current MCP spec version (2026-07-28).Pass
- Supports UI / widget rendering.Pass
Every change we have recorded for this component, newest first. Security-relevant changes are always shown. ▲ marks a change for the better, ▼ a change for the worse; unmarked changes are neutral.
- 4 Nov 26 0
- Tool “find_past_paper” rewrote its description, which is the text the model reads security
- Tool “get_paper” rewrote its description, which is the text the model reads security
- Tool “get_question” rewrote its description, which is the text the model reads security
- Tool “topic_progress” rewrote its description, which is the text the model reads security
- Stability: unverified → 0.03 ▲ functional
- “mark_answer” reworded the description of “working” cosmetic
- 3 Nov 26 67
First indexed and scored.
Diagnostic detail from the automated scan of this channel: what the scanner observed at each step, so you can see exactly where a check passed or failed. It is informational only and never changes the trust score.
Captured 4 Nov 2026 · Probed https://exam.now/mcp
TLS valid
Negotiated TLS 1.3 with TLS_AES_128_GCM_SHA256 .
| Subject | Issuer | Valid from | Valid until | Key | Signature | Serial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN=exam.now | CN=WE1,O=Google Trust Services,C=US | 30 Oct 2026 | 28 Jan 2027 | ECDSA 256 | ECDSA-SHA256 | 6116df96d733845b135354c4fc153efb |
| SANs: exam.now, staging.exam.now, *.staging.exam.now | ||||||
| CN=WE1,O=Google Trust Services,C=US (CA) | CN=GTS Root R4,O=Google Trust Services LLC,C=US | 13 Dec 2023 | 20 Feb 2029 | ECDSA 256 | ECDSA-SHA384 | 7ff31977972c224a76155d13b6d685e3 |
| CN=GTS Root R4,O=Google Trust Services LLC,C=US (CA) | CN=GlobalSign Root CA,OU=Root CA,O=GlobalSign nv-sa,C=BE | 15 Nov 2023 | 28 Jan 2028 | ECDSA 384 | SHA256-RSA | 7fe530bf331343bedd821610493d8a1b |
Background: What to check on a remote MCP endpoint →
DNSSEC insecure
Validation of exam.now. — Not signed
| Zone | DS | Keys | Algorithms | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| . | trust_anchor | 20326, 38696 | 8, 8 | Verified |
| now. | present | 53572 | 8 | Verified |
| exam.now. | absent | Unsigned (proven) parent-signed NSEC/NSEC3 proves an unsigned delegation |
Authentication No authorisation required
The endpoint answered without asking for a token. Anyone who knows the URL can reach it.
| Result | No authorisation required |
|---|---|
| HTTP status | 200 |
Background: How OAuth 2.1 works in the 2026 MCP spec →
Transports 2 probes
| Transport | URL | Outcome | Status | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| streamable-http | https://exam.now/mcp | Verified | 200 | |
| http (plaintext) | http://exam.now/mcp | Inconclusive | 405 |
The tools this component advertises to a client, with an estimated token cost for each. Expand a tool to see its parameters and schema. The per-tool counts are indicative and are not scored directly; the schema's total context footprint is one signal in Schema Quality & AI Usability. A tool's description is untrusted text the model reads on every call, which is what makes this list a security surface and not just an inventory: how tool poisoning works →
class_summary Class summary ~105
For a teacher's own exam.now class: topic bands across the class with no pupil names, and how many pupils have started. Small groups are suppressed to protect pupils' privacy.
| Name | Type | Req | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| class_id | string | – | The class id from exam.now. Leave it out for the teacher's own class. |
| subject_code | string | yes | Syllabus or specification code, e.g. 0580, 0625, 9709, 8300 or 1MA1. |
No output schema declared.
No examples provided.
common_mistakes Common mistakes ~119
Up to 5 exam.now write-ups of common mistakes in a subject, drawn from Cambridge examiner reports, each with a short summary and a link. Narrow them with a topic code or words.
| Name | Type | Req | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| query | string | – | Words to match, e.g. "bounds". |
| subject_code | string | yes | Syllabus or specification code, e.g. 0580, 0625, 9709, 8300 or 1MA1. |
| topic | string | – | Topic code, e.g. E1.10. |
No output schema declared.
No examples provided.
exam_timetable Exam timetable ~81
Cambridge exam dates for one or more syllabuses in the June or November 2026 series: component, date, morning or afternoon session and duration, with a link to the exam.now timetable. Zone defaults to the UK timetable.
| Name | Type | Req | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| series | string | yes | – |
| subject_codes | array | yes | – |
| zone | string | – | Cambridge administrative zone. |
No output schema declared.
No examples provided.
find_past_paper Find a past paper ~276
Find Cambridge, AQA or Edexcel past papers on exam.now from a free-text query such as "0580 june 2024 paper 4" or from structured fields. Returns up to 10 papers with their exam.now paper_id, title, session, duration, total marks, whether exam.now can show it on screen to answer (answer_on_screen, with the parts that need a graph or drawing and so can only be answered there), and links to the question paper, insert, mark scheme and examiner report where they exist. Use the paper_id with get_question, get_mark_scheme or get_paper.
| Name | Type | Req | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| board | string | – | – |
| limit | integer | – | – |
| paper | integer | – | – |
| qualification | string | – | e.g. "IGCSE", "O Level", "A Level", "GCSE". |
| query | string | – | Free text, e.g. "0625 w23 42" or "igcse physics november 2023 paper 4". |
| series | string | – | Exam series. |
| subject_code | string | – | Syllabus or specification code, e.g. 0580, 0625, 9709, 8300 or 1MA1. |
| variant | integer | – | – |
| year | integer | – | – |
No output schema declared.
No examples provided.
find_questions_by_topic Find questions by topic ~130
Past-paper questions on exam.now tagged with a syllabus topic, newest first. Pass the topic code (e.g. E2.5) or words (e.g. "simultaneous equations"). Returns question references with the start of each prompt, marks, whether it has a figure, and a link to the question.
| Name | Type | Req | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| limit | integer | – | – |
| subject_code | string | yes | Syllabus or specification code, e.g. 0580, 0625, 9709, 8300 or 1MA1. |
| topic | string | yes | Topic code or words. |
No output schema declared.
No examples provided.
get_mark_scheme Get a mark scheme ~170
The official mark-scheme rows for one part of an exam.now past paper: each row's code (M1, A1, B1…), marks, answer, guidance and alternatives, the part's maximum marks, the paper's general marking principles, the mark-scheme PDF page and a link to it on exam.now.
| Name | Type | Req | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| include_principles | boolean | – | Include the paper's general marking principles. |
| paper_id | string | yes | exam.now paper id from find_past_paper, e.g. 0580_s24_42 (syllabus code, series letter s/w/m and two-digit year, component). |
| part | string | yes | Part id as the paper numbers it, e.g. "3", "3(a)" or "3(a)(i)". |
No output schema declared.
No examples provided.
get_paper Get a whole paper ~199
An exam.now past paper as structured JSON (metadata, questions, parts, prompts, marks, answer kinds, figure URLs), a few questions at a time. Each part's answer.onSite is true when it needs a graph or drawing and can only be answered on exam.now; the other parts can be typed in chat for mark_answer. Use next_from to get the next page. include_mark_scheme adds the mark-scheme rows for the same questions and needs a linked exam.now account (a free one is fine).
| Name | Type | Req | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| count | integer | – | How many questions to return. |
| from_question | integer | – | First question to return (1-based position in the paper). |
| include_mark_scheme | boolean | – | – |
| paper_id | string | yes | exam.now paper id from find_past_paper, e.g. 0580_s24_42 (syllabus code, series letter s/w/m and two-digit year, component). |
No output schema declared.
No examples provided.
get_question Get a question ~223
The text of one question or part from an exam.now past paper: context, prompt, marks, figures (with alt text), the answer surface (response kinds, tools, whether a calculator is allowed), topic codes and a link to the part on exam.now. answer.onSite is true when the part needs a graph or drawing, so it can only be answered on exam.now; otherwise the student can type the answer in chat and mark_answer marks it. Pass question for the whole question or part for one part.
| Name | Type | Req | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| include_images | boolean | – | Attach small figures as image content as well as URLs. |
| paper_id | string | yes | exam.now paper id from find_past_paper, e.g. 0580_s24_42 (syllabus code, series letter s/w/m and two-digit year, component). |
| part | string | – | Part id as the paper numbers it, e.g. "3", "3(a)" or "3(a)(i)". |
| question | string | – | Question number, e.g. "3". |
No output schema declared.
No examples provided.
mark_answer Mark an answer ~201
Mark a student's answer to one part against the official mark scheme with exam.now's marker. Returns marks awarded and available, the mark-scheme rows earned and missed, feedback and a common-mistake link, and saves the mark to the student's exam.now progress. Needs a linked exam.now account with marking.
| Name | Type | Req | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| answer | string | yes | The student's final answer, as they wrote it. |
| paper_id | string | yes | exam.now paper id from find_past_paper, e.g. 0580_s24_42 (syllabus code, series letter s/w/m and two-digit year, component). |
| part | string | yes | Part id as the paper numbers it, e.g. "3", "3(a)" or "3(a)(i)". |
| working | string | – | The student's working, as they wrote it. Send it whenever they showed any: without it the marker judges the final answer only and can't give method marks. |
No output schema declared.
No examples provided.
practise_question Practise a question ~148
Show one past-paper question as a practice card the student can answer, with its figures and answer surface. The model gets the full question so it can give hints without giving the answer away. Use mark_answer to mark the student's answer.
| Name | Type | Req | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| paper_id | string | yes | exam.now paper id from find_past_paper, e.g. 0580_s24_42 (syllabus code, series letter s/w/m and two-digit year, component). |
| part | string | – | Part id as the paper numbers it, e.g. "3", "3(a)" or "3(a)(i)". |
| question | string | – | Question number, e.g. "3". |
No output schema declared.
No examples provided.
topic_progress Topic progress ~113
The linked student's own progress in one subject on exam.now: each syllabus topic's band (secure, getting there, not yet), the next three topics to work on (weak topics first, then topics with too few marks to band and untried topics that are ready to start, each with a reason) and links to practise them.
| Name | Type | Req | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| subject_code | string | yes | Syllabus or specification code, e.g. 0580, 0625, 9709, 8300 or 1MA1. |
No output schema declared.
No examples provided.
How do I install the exam.now MCP server?
exam.now is a hosted endpoint at https://exam.now/mcp, so there is nothing to install locally. Ready-made configuration for Claude, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and 5 more is on this page, copied from each client's own documentation.
remote · exam.now
claude mcp add --transport http now-exam-past-papers 'https://exam.now/mcp'
What is the exam.now MCP server?
exam.now is an MCP server listed in the public MCP registry as now.exam/past-papers. Cambridge, AQA and Edexcel past papers: questions, figures and mark schemes by part, and marking. This page covers its hosted endpoint (https://exam.now/mcp).
Is the exam.now MCP server safe to use?
exam.now scores 67 out of 100 on VerifyMCP. That is a record of what we were able to check automatically, not an endorsement. The category breakdown on this page shows every signal behind the number, including the ones we could not confirm.
What tools does the exam.now MCP server expose?
exam.now exposes 11 tools: find_past_paper, get_question, get_mark_scheme, get_paper, find_questions_by_topic, and 6 more. Their descriptions and schemas cost roughly 1,765 tokens of context every time the server is loaded.
Does the exam.now MCP server require authentication?
No. We connected to exam.now without credentials and it answered, so anything it exposes is reachable by anyone who knows the address.
Is the exam.now MCP server still maintained?
exam.now is still listed as active in the MCP registry. We last reached this channel on 4 November 2026. Those dates come from our own scans of the registry and the channel itself, not from anything the publisher announced.