This paper examines the case for a variation of student self-assessment which has been used across a wide range of subject areas and different types of assessment in higher education in Britain. It argues that three key features will allow students increased access to assessment procedures and protocols and that consequently, they will be better placed to carry out self-assessment from an informed position. These three features are first, to use summative, graded work for self-assessment; second, to receive tutor feedback in order to help them identify and understand their errors prior to self-assessment; and third, it is proposed that students should receive their grade or mark only after they have completed the formative, learning aspect of the self-assessment exercise. It is argued that this process will go some way towards giving students real access to power sharing in assessment.