update_grade_item
Change a grade item from get_gradebook_setup: move it into a category, set its weight (percent, overriding the automatic one) or a manual item's maximum grade (an activity's is set in the activity). Returns the item afterwards. Changes how grades are computed: confirm with the person first.
This record as markdown: /tools/falkenslab-moodle-mcp/update-grade-item.md
What update_grade_item does on Moodle
AI agents use update_grade_item to create or update resources in Moodle, usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Moodle environment.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
itemId | integer | Yes | |
weight | number | — | Percent |
category | integer | — | The category to move it into |
courseId | integer | Yes | |
maxGrade | number | — |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why update_grade_item is rated Medium
An AI agent can call update_grade_item faster than any human can review: one bad instruction and it creates or modifies resources in Moodle by the hundred, each call as confident as the last.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs update_grade_item safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Moodle, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For update_grade_item, this is the rule to start with:
update_grade_item stays usable, but capped: an agent stuck in a loop can't make hundreds of changes a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Moodle, apply this rule, and every update_grade_item call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about update_grade_item
Change a grade item from get_gradebook_setup: move it into a category, set its weight (percent, overriding the automatic one) or a manual item's maximum grade (an activity's is set in the activity). Returns the item afterwards. Changes how grades are computed: confirm with the person first. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Moodle MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
update_grade_item accepts 5 parameters: itemId, weight, category, courseId, maxGrade. Required: itemId, courseId. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Moodle MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for update_grade_item: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Moodle. Nothing to install.
update_grade_item is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the update_grade_item rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for update_grade_item. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
update_grade_item is provided by the Moodle MCP server (@falkenslab/moodle-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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